Dust on the Ground
by electriccghosts
Summary: The summer before going to college, Lydia decides to take her step in the paranormal and overall weird one step further and begin to explore and research cases. When a stranger sees her blog and offers to lend a helping hand, Lydia accepts with apprehension and excitement. The two blend together experience and innocence to create a great team and a new summer full of experiences.
1. Chapter 1

The rumble of the decade old car could be heard throughout the neighborhood as Lydia Haddleback whipped onto her street and into her driveway. Situated between her parents cars, Lydia threw her vehicle into park, grabbed her bag and bounced out. She kicked the door shut and fumbled with her key to get it locked, and then she jogged up to the house. Once inside, she let out a huff.

"Don't leave your shoes by the door! And dinner will be ready in like, 5 minutes!"

Her mother's voice drifted to the front room from the kitchen. Lydia groaned and picked up her smelly grease covered work shoes and tossed them into the closet. She ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. She peeled off the rest of her work clothes. They smelled like the burger joint where she worked. In fact, everything she owned smelled like that place. After sniffing a few different shirts she settled on one and put on a pair of shorts before sitting down on her bed and opening her laptop.

She logged on to her blog, scanning the newest posts of her followers. Her screen was full of urban legends and folklore, ghosts and ghouls. A string of amateur photographs accompanied all of the narratives. Lydia herself had created some posts. She had always had an interest in the supernatural and the plain weird, but it wasn't until the summer after she graduated high school that she had begun to explore. The past three weeks had given her more questions than answers.

A faint 'beep' took her eye to the bottom of her screen where she noticed a flashing red envelope, indicating she had an email. With her eyes burrowed together, she opened it up.

_Lydia,_

_My name is Dipper, and I run Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained. I recently saw your post about the Astoria Lighthouse Haunting and the legend of Muriel. I am extremely intrigued in this story. I don't know if you're aware of my guide, but I've recently been teaming up with fellow Oregonians who dabble in the paranormal and unexplained. Just messaging you to see if you'd want to finally solve this mystery._

_ Dipper Pines_

Though the email felt like a solicitation, Lydia clicked on the link to his page and was pleasantly surprised with the professional look and sleek design of his page. His most recent post was titled 'Case #1,502: The Search for the Deer Woman'. He used a mixture of photos, a master video, and some narrative. From a quick once over, Lydia noted it was a team-up case.

"Lydia! Dinner!"

"Just a minute!" She hollered back, as she seamlessly opened up her email to reply.

_Dipper,_

_As long as you're not a creepy kidnapping killer, I'd love to have some help with this case. I'm relatively new to exploring mysteries, and to be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing._

_ Lydia _

"Seriously, Lydia!"

Rolling her eyes, she sent the message and closed her laptop, zooming downstairs. Her family sat at the kitchen table, waiting for her.

"We only eat together one day a week and you still can't make it on time?" Her mom questioned.

"I just got home, sorry," Lydia apologized, sliding into a chair.

Surrounding her was he parents and her two siblings, Annie and Nick. Annie was three years younger than Lydia, at 15. She doubled as both a theater and band member, and was constantly busy with some project or practice. Even during the summer, she participated in local theater and had band practice. Nick was older, a fresh 24, who drove nearly two hours home to Astoria every Sunday for dinner. He lived in Portland where he worked his first post-college job as a marketing assistant and a stiff suit and tie business. And then there were her parents, Joyce and David. Her dad was an outdoorsman type- big into hunting and fishing. When she was younger, Lydia would tag along on the trips with her dad, but as she grew she lost interest in the sports. He managed a sportsman store in town where he had plenty of opportunity to divulge in his passions. Her mother was a pediatric nurse who worked a string of long shifts during the week, and enjoyed getting together with her family for dinner on Sundays.

"Mom made cupcakes for later," Annie stated as she began to spoon potatoes on her plate. "Red velvet ones… and chocolate ones for you, since you are un-American and hate red velvet."

"It's gross," Lydia shuttered, "More chocolate for me. Whatever."

"So, how was work?" Her mom questioned, trying to shift the conversation.

Lydia shrugged, "It was work. I'm tired, and I smell, though."

"That's for sure," Annie snorted.

Nick smiled, "You smell worse than my hippie neighbor who literally only bathes when it rains outside, Lyds. Only when it rains! He stands out on his patio in his soggy underwear and scrubs down with a bar of soap."

Her family couldn't help but snicker, and even Lydia cracked a smile.

"I can't help it! You know what I smell? Money."

"Keep that attitude and you'll go far," Her dad nodded.

"No, you'll end up like mom and dad who work themselves into comas," Nick corrected. "Take my approach: just coast. Are you declaring a major this fall? Seriously, marketing is a breeze. Or if you really want to be lazy and make a lot of money go into computers."

"Nick, you're just insanely lucky. If it wasn't for the four leaf clover on your ass, you would not be as well of from 'coasting' as you are," Their dad gruffed, referring to the birth mark on Nick's bottom that resembled a four leaf clover. It was a running gag in their family that it was the source of all his good fortune.

"I'm declaring Geology."

"That's news to us," Her mom mused.

Nick injected, "That's probably more worthless than Psychology."

"You're worthless, Nick," Lydia snapped.

"Lydia!" Her mom warned. "And Nick, stop. You went through how many majors before you stuck with marketing?"

"I won't switch," Lydia piped. "It's what I want to do."

"They all say that," Her dad said with a half-smile.

"Yeah, yeah," Lydia mumbled, shoveling a spoonful of corn into her mouth.

For the rest of the dinner span, her family discussed college, a topic that made Lydia sick to her stomach. For her entire high school career she had looked forward to college, and now it was facing her and she was terrified. She had decided to go to school at the University of Washington in Seattle, a three hour drive from her hometown of Astoria. She was going somewhere new where she didn't have any friends or family, and she was afraid. Her stomach churned at the thought… so she just didn't think about it anymore than she had to.

She excused herself from the table as soon as she could, grabbing a chocolate cupcake and heading upstairs. She quietly shut herself in her room. Throughout dinner, her mind kept drifting back to the mysterious email she received. She was hoping she had an email waiting for her. She turned her television on, curled on her bed, and opened her laptop. She nibbled on her cupcake as she waited for her system to boot up. A red envelope awaited her.

_Lydia,_

_Thanks for responding so quickly! I'm eager to discuss times we can meet with you. I am defiantly not a kidnapping killer… which is exactly what I kidnapping killer would say, but I swear I'm not. If it isn't too unprofessional, I think it'd be easier for us to text to communicate, if that is okay with you. I'll leave my number at the bottom of the email. Can't wait to talk further about this._

_ Dipper_

A beat skipped in Lydia's chest. She grabbed her phone and programed Dipper's number into her phone. She stared at it for a moment before setting it on the bed next to her and picking her laptop back up. She went to Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained. His profile picture was a logo, but she figured she could catch a glimpse in one of his videos. She skimmed over his bio, not gathering much information. Finally, she clicked on the video for the Deer Woman video.

It was a first person video, not showing any glimpse of the man behind the camera. Or rather, boy. It was obvious from the pitch of his voice that Dipper was younger, probably around her age. The deer woman case was in western Idaho, and he was a paired with a twenty-something looking guy named Eric, whose blog was exploding with deer woman pictures and sightings. The nearly half hour long video documented a brief summary of the story, a bit of proof, and footage of the two trekking through the woods. Near the end, things got interesting. Very obviously, Lydia could see a deer woman. Her mouth dropped as she slowed the video down and watched it a dozen times. The deer woman was real- she was there, on screen, accompanied by excited whispers of Dipper and Eric.

Lydia pushed her laptop to the side and picked up her phone, and opened up a new message.

_Dipper? Hey! This is Lydia._


	2. Chapter 2

_In circles round the well and where it spells on the wall behind St. Peter, so bright on cinder gray in spray paint, "Who the hell can see forever?". And please remember me, seldomly. In the car behind the carnival, my hand between your knees. You turn from me and said the trapeze act was wonderful._

Lydia was waiting impatiently at a local coffee shop. Her stomach was churning. She was crazy for meeting someone from the internet. She thanked the heavens her parents accepted that she was just going out exploring, as she often did. No questions, just a "make sure your phone is on" and a goodbye. Now she was here. Waiting. But as crazy as she was standing there waiting for a stranger, the stranger was even crazier for driving over five hours to meet her because of a lighthouse and a ghost.

Each time the door opened, she looked over with bated breath. It had been two days since Dipper had sent her a message, and they had been sporadically communicating since. Earlier in the morning, he had told her he'd be wearing a red shirt and a blue and white baseball cap. She felt like she'd been waiting for an eternity. And the finally… there he was. The door opened, and in walked Dipper Pines in a red shirt and a blue and white cap.

He wasn't what she expected, and she meant that in a good way. Under his hat was a mop of shaggy brown hair. His pale skin was accented with a few freckles. His button nose was a little red, even though it was a nice breezy summer day. He was tall and thin, wearing a red shirt and cargo shorts. On his back he carried a slouchy bag.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and waved him over. He smiled, his cheeks started to match the color of his nose, and he walked over to her.

She, too, was not what he had pictured. He wasn't sure what to expect. He'd gone on dozens of these team-trips with a handbag of interesting people. But Lydia. Her dark brown hair was braided and draped over her shoulder. Her bangs were pinned back, bringing more attention to her face. She was fresh-faced, with creamy white skin. Her gentle eyes were a striking hazel color. The rest of her features, her lips and nose, were well defined. She wore a plain, dark blue scoop neck shirt with a pair of tan shorts and working boots. He was undoubtedly attracted to her, which could make the day nothing short of difficult.

"Hi," Lydia breathed. "It's nice to meet you… finally."

Dipper took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair, "I know- hi, hi!"

"How was your drive?" Lydia questioned.

"Long," he admitted. "But I'm used to long drives. Um… you want some coffee?"

"Sure," Lydia nodded, and they moved to get in line. The two stood awkwardly and without conversation until they got to the counter. Lydia ordered a chai tea latte, and Dipper got a plain black coffee. She reached for her wallet and he rolled his eyes, pulling out his and paying. Once they got their drinks they took a small circle table near the rear of the shop.

"Thanks again," Lydia said, motioning to her drink.

"No problem," He shrugged, swinging his bag onto his lap. "So. Muriel. I have heard of lighthouse hauntings before, but I haven't heard of the Astoria haunting. Later on, when we're out there, I'll have you do a summary in the video- if that's okay with you- but can you give me a quick run through of the story right now?"

Taken aback by his formality, Lydia nodded, "It's a local legend around here, but Astoria isn't huge… plus, Portland takes all the attention. Muriel was the 6 year old daughter of the keeper during the 1890s. She was playing on the balcony when the wind picked up and pushed her over, killing her. A few more families lived in the house before it was shut down, but they reported 'mysterious' activity, like hearing giggles, seeing a child's figure, and seeing handprints on the walls. The lore just kept building. A lot of kids dare each other to spend the night in the house and they always report activity."

"That's what we'll have to do. Go at night to get the best activity."

"Well, my parents will be worried if I'm out really late…"

Dipper shuffled the papers he pulled from his bag, and without looking up he proposed, "Just tell them you're going to stay with a friend."

"I um…" Lydia blushed out of embarrassment. "I don't really have any friends… anymore."

He looked up and noticed how uncomfortable she was and just let out an, "Oh."

"I'm sorry-"

Dipper cut her off, "No, it's okay. We will just work with what we have, right? It's nearly 5 now. I'm sure we can kill two or three hours and go as soon as it's starting to get darker. With how active the place supposedly is, we should be able to get some proof quickly."

He smiled, and Lydia couldn't help but look away to hide her butterflies. When she looked back Dipper had a handheld camera on her, the red light flashing. She was taken aback by the presence of it, nervous at the thought of being recorded.

"So, Lydia," He said from behind the camera. "What is there to do in Astoria?"

She laughed, "That is the golden question, right?"

There was a moment of silence as she thought. Her face lit up and she smiled before saying, "Okay- let's go!"

Dipper tipped the camera down and looked at her with raised brows, "Go where? Or can I not know?"

"Fort Stevens," She answered. "I promise, you'll like it."

He turned the camera off and set it down, then began to herd his papers back into his bag. Lydia watched carefully, mesmerized by his swift movements. He stood up, breaking her concentration. She looked up at him and blushed before following. He motioned for her to lead the way out of the shop. Once outside, she shoved a hand in her pocket.

"So, do you want to um… carpool, or follow me?"

He couldn't help but let a little laugh out, "We can ride together."

"My car is a piece of shit," Lydia expressed, as they walked through the parking lot. "Just a fair warning. And it smells like french fries, but in a bad way. I work at a fast food place."

"Luckily, I have never had to work with food," Dipper said, climbing into Lydia's car. Once she was secure inside, as well, he continued. "I always worked for my great uncle at his tourist trap, The Mystery Shack, during the summers. Once I graduated high school I moved back to Gravity Falls and took over the business. So I run the Shack and have all these side projects."

"Oh, that's really cool," Lydia expressed. "It' a tourist trap?"

"Stan always had really kitschy attractions. Tourists eat that kind of stuff up. We've tried integrating some of the real stuff I find, but the tourists really gravitate for the fake stuff. My twin sister, Mabel, used to love crafting the attractions with me."

"I bet it's fun having a twin. I'm the middle child, so I'm nothing special."

"You're special," Dipper stated, almost defensively. They both blushed, and Dipper was quick to go on. "Mabel was- still is- my best friend. It's just hard, sometimes. She's off at school. She'll be a sophomore at UCLA- we're originally from California. She's actually coming up to visit this weekend."

Lydia nodded. If Mabel was going to be a sophomore, that meant Dipper was only a year or so older than her. She had been wrestling with his age all afternoon, trying to decipher if her budding crush was tangible. She reminded herself, _he may be your age, but he lives half the state away_…

"I'm going to school this fall- in Seattle," She said, then immediately felt like punching herself in the face.

"Oh."

More silence. Lydia turned the volume up a few notches, letting her mix tape drift through the car. She felt vulnerable. She had almost forgotten why Dipper had voyaged over to Astoria. It wasn't for her, it was for Muriel. She was just the access, the line to the ghost. She was just a girl and he was just a stranger.

In the next seat, Dipper stole glances at Lydia. He, too, shared the same feelings of uncertainty. He was comfortable with silent drives with strangers. He was comfortable with brief interactions and small talk. He wasn't comfortable sitting next to someone who was supposed to be a one-time adventure but was slowly nesting into his chest. He hadn't been with anyone since he and Wendy broke up nearly a year ago. The breakup was great for his business and for the Guide to the Unexplained, but he missed the warmth- the butterflies.

"Okay!" Lydia quipped, breaking the silence. "Welcome to Fort Stevens."

The entrance was unsettling- two huge concrete entities, aged and worn, with 'FORT STEVENS' carved into the side. A winding road of lush landscape transformed into a massive open space of sporadic cabins, the beginning of hiking trails, and over a hill there was nothing but water. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Lydia parked the car in a lot near the hill. She looked over at him and gave a half smile.

"This is my favorite place in Astoria," She declared.

"I can see why."

"You haven't seen anything yet- come on!"

They left the car and began climbing the hill. Dipper pulled out his camera and pointed it on Lydia. He said,

"So, what exactly is Fort Stevens?"

Without looking over, Lydia recited in a stuffy accented voice, "Fort Stevens was once part of a three-fort defense system at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was in service for 84 years, spanning from the beginning of the civil war and ending during World War II."

Dipper couldn't help but laugh at her voice. She looked over and her eyes lit up when she noticed she was being recorded. She bit her lips and blushed, but didn't comment on the presence of the camera. Without missing a beat, she said,

"But, the most spectacular part of For Stevens… at least for me, is this."

They were at the top of the hill overlooking the water, stretching as far as the eye could see… and a shipwrecked boat. Dipper was taken aback by the presence of the ship. It's not every day you see the bones of an old boat stuck on its side in the sand.

"Wow."

"Yeah, I know," Lydia said with a smile before sliding down the sand. Dipper followed, keeping his eyes on the ship.

"This is the Peter Iredale ship. It's a really unimpressive story; the winds caught the ship and got it stuck in the sand. Isn't it something to look at, though?"

Dipper kept the camera on the ship as they walked closer. He inspected it as much as he could, fascinated by the structure. Lydia watched his childlike excitement, remembering the first time she saw the ship with her father years ago. He told her a marvelous story about pirates and buried treasure, and that the ghost of the men on the ship still haunted the area, protecting their treasure. That story was much more interesting than the truth. While Dipper was busy looking at the ship, Lydia parked herself in the sand, letting the warm beach hug her. She leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the sun beat down on her.

She felt the sand move next to her. Dipper had sat down next to her. He looked her up and down with the camera, focusing on every part of her body. Then he turned the camera off and laid back. His stomach was tingling, and he was trying to keep the sensation from traveling. He wanted to inch his hand over and touch hers. No, he wanted to roll over and caress her milky white skin. He wanted to kiss her pouty lips and discover what was under her clothes.

"I used to have a friend, Amanda, who graduated before me," Lydia said softly. Dipper rolled onto his side and looked at her. "I went to visit her one weekend at school and we went to a frat party. I was just so eager to be a grown up. I didn't even notice that they had slipped something into our drinks. I wasn't actually drinking mine, just holding it. But Amanda… she was… she… two guys raped her. She blamed me, and then when everyone at school found out, somehow I became the bad guy. I lost all my friends. I lost everyone, actually, because even people who weren't my friend were angry with me."

Dipper was astonished and at a loss for words, "I… I'm sorry. I don't know what to say."

"I've heard it all, it's okay," Lydia sat up and wiggled her hand deep into the sand. "It's going to be dark soon, we should head out. The lighthouse is on the other side of town, out by the ports. It'll take a while to get there."

She stood and dusted the sand off her shorts, then began walking towards the hill. Dipper stared at her for a long moment before following her steps.


	3. Chapter 3

Dipper pointed the camera at Lydia. Behind her, he captured the lighthouse. It was eerie, looming high over the shore. The colors were faded and mundane, washed out from the sun. With the sky turning a dark shade of blue, the lighthouse looked straight out of a horror movie. And right in front was Lydia.

"Are you ready?" She questioned. "Okay. My name is Lydia, and today, Dipper is here helping me prove that a ghost inhabits this lighthouse. The legend of Muriel has been around for a very long time and is a very popular tale in these parts. Here's how the story goes: in the 1980s the keep of the house had a young daughter, Muriel, who frequently played on the balcony. One evening when she was out there, the wind picked up, and before she could get inside it carried her over the barrier. After she died, her family left. They couldn't live in the building that killed their child. However, there were still a few more keepers before the lighthouse was decommissioned. The families who lived in the lighthouse after Muriel's death reported signs of mysterious laughter, handprints on the walls, the thermostat being altered- among other things."

"Alright," Dipper announced. "Let's get to this."

Lydia's eyes lingered on him for a long beat before she turned and headed towards the lighthouse. Her heart was racing. She was terrified. For months she had been teaching herself not to fear the unknown, whatever the circumstances. She wasn't sure what she feared more- the ghost inside the lighthouse or the home Dipper was constructing in her heart. Her mantra, however many times she repeated it under her breath, was useless in both situations. Behind her, Dipper was keeping the camera focused on Lydia. This was a routine case- or it was supposed to be. He wasn't afraid of ghosts and ghouls. Things that bumped in the night didn't scare him… what scared him was his feelings for this girl. Both walked in a tense silence, dripping with unspoken emotions.

The lighthouse was within a hand's reach. Lydia stood in front of the door and turned to look at him with a halfhearted smile. Behind her, through the glass, Dipper could see the outline of a child appear. He swallowed the lump in his throat and decided not to tell Lydia about the entity and instead zoomed in closer.

"Are you ready?" She questioned, her voice cracking.

The figure vanished and he refocused on her. It was obvious she was afraid. He tilted the camera down and walked over to her. After a moment of consideration, he reached up and touched her shoulder. Though she was warm, he shivered.

"Are you ready?" He mocked back. "You seem…"

"Yeah," She choked. "Like I said, I'm new to this stuff. It's safe to say I feel like pissing my pants and throwing up at the same time."

Dipper couldn't help but chuckle, though he said sincerely, "Don't worry, Lydia. I'll keep you safe."

She was thankful that the sun had set because her face turned bright red and her stomach danced with butterflies. She nodded and turned towards the door. Her hand lingered on the doorknob for what seemed like years before she turned it, letting the old door creak open. Inside, there was nothing but darkness. Her eyes were adjusted to the night, so she could make out the faint outline of some old furniture left by the last owners. Decrepit wooden chairs positioned around a fireplace, and a table pushed against the beginning of the staircase.

"Lydia, I need you to get in my backpack and get out some equipment. I don't normally deal with ghost cases, but I do have some stuff that should help us prove Muriel is here. First, we need our flashlights. I've got the camera set to night vision, but we're going to need some actual light. There is also a voice recorder in there, and an EMF device."

She gathered the supplies out of his messy bag and appeared back in front of him. She clicked on a flashlight and held it down in one hand, with the other two objects in her other. He reached out and stuck the EMF device in his pocket, instructing her to keep the voice recorder on her person. She tucked it away in her back pocket. She shined the flashlight around the cramped lighthouse, revealing the creepy interior.

The floral wallpaper was yellowed and peeling from years of element abuse and wear and tear. A brick fireplace was nestled in a corner, surrounded by a few chairs. A few feet away was an oversized metal basin. Some empty storage shelves lined one curved wall, the hinges falling off. Against the staircase was a desk. Closer inspection revealed a hole in the middle of the desk. Lydia pointed her flashlight to the stairs.

"Should we go?"

"I'm going to get a base reading down here. You're in charge of the voice recorder. If you hear anything, turn it on and record. Okay- so most people know that EMF meters are a necessity when ghost hunting. The devices are not complicated to use- so I'll give a brief rundown of what this thing will tell us. EMF meters detect fluctuations and changes in electromagnetic fields, which are created by everything from computers to solar flares. Entities are electrically charged, therefore they fall into this wide spectrum. An abnormality will give a reading between 2 to 7 milligauss- the name for the units with an EMF meter. My device isn't the industry standard or the best, but it gets the job done. It has 3 lights. When I press the button down, it'll show me one of the three lights. Green means no activity, yellow indicates a range from 2 to 7 milligauss, and a red is over 8… indicating hella activity."

Lydia watched as Dipper recited his narrative, holding the device in front of the camera. He turned it a few times in his palm to show off the small white device before he pressed down the button. Her breath caught for a millisecond before it flashed green.

"Okay. So down here there is no current activity. Up we go."

The camera turned to Lydia. She had been lingering on the first step of the spiraling staircase. She flashed her light up the steps then slowly began to walk. The boards creaked under their feet as they began to walk up the winding path. Behind Lydia, Dipper was regularly pressing the button on the EMF meter, flashing the camera down to note the green light was still present. After a big curve in the stairs, there was a landing that inhabited a broken down cot, tipped on its side and a dirty wooden dresser. Lydia's flashlight danced across the room as she caught every corner. Still a green light. Lydia looked at Dipper for confirmation to keep moving forward. He nodded his head, and they began to move up the staircase again.

Again, after another winding curve, there was a landing. This one was eerily empty. Lydia stepped off the stairs and onto the landing, tenderly testing the ground before she committed her weight fully to the boards. Dipper checked the light. It was yellow. He swallowed and followed her into the room, keeping the information about the light to himself.

"This is weird," Lydia mused, her voice echoing. "I wonder why the room is-"

She was cut off by a faint giggle. The color from her face drained, and her mouth slowly slid open.

"Voice recorder!" Dipper urged, frantically motioning for her to grab the instrument.

She complied, fumbling with the light and her pockets. She pulled out the voice recorder and pressed the big red button. The tape inside began to move. They waited in a thick silence for a moment before Dipper questioned,

"Muriel? Is that you?"

Silence. Dipper checked the meter, only to be met with a green light. He sighed and waved his hand towards Lydia.

"The light is green," He noted. "We're going to go up the stairs more- but be ready, okay? Trigger finger is acceptable with the voice recorder. There's plenty of tape in there."

Lydia slowly moved past Dipper, one hand holding the shaky flashlight, the other keeping a finger on the recorder. Every creaking step echoed, making her breath catch in her throat. She noticed it was getting colder as they progressed. There were no more landings woven into the stairs. Instead, just a looming staircase leading to the top balcony. The hairs on Lydia's skin were raised and her goosebumps were like mountains. Dipper, too, noticed the change in the temperature. He checked the meter, revealing a yellow light.

"It's getting colder," Lydia said, a hint of fear in her voice.

"I've got a yellow light," Dipper admitted. "Just keep going up the stairs. It's okay, I promise."

"Dipper."

His name dripped out of her mouth, each syllable laced with terror. She had stopped in her tracks. He moved closer to see what was the matter. Small, child sized hand prints, covered the stone walls. He kept the camera moving as they appeared and then disappeared, working their way up the staircase. He twirled the camera… and then they stopped. A string of loud giggles tore through the silence, echoing down the staircase. He whipped his head towards Lydia. She held up the recorder with a smile.

"I was ready!"

More laughter. Dipper couldn't stand on the stairs any longer. His stomach was in knots- he inched past Lydia and sprinted up the stairs. He chased the laughter. Behind him, Lydia tried to keep up. She was afraid of being alone, the haunting image of the handprints fresh in her mind. At the top of the landing, Dipper caught a glimpse of something. It looked like a wisp of white, and then it was gone. Lydia soon caught up to him.

Dipper held up the meter. It trembled on yellow before displaying a frightening red that seemed to illuminate the room. Lydia saw the color and pressed tight against Dipper. The room was surrounded in windows with the exception of the large French-like doors leading to the small balcony. The moonlight illuminated the room, catching the dust moving to the symphony of the night in the air.

"Voice recorder," Dipper motioned. Lydia held it out and pressed the button. "Muriel- you've been playing with us for a while now. Shouldn't you show yourself?"

A gust of wind appeared out of thin air, slamming the doors open. Lydia let a small 'yelp' escape her lips, and she grabbed Dipper's free hand. He moved his hand slightly to accompany hers, giving her a reassuring squeeze. The wind swirled into a transparent girl. It was the same figure Dipper had seen in the door earlier. She looked at them and giggled. Lydia had a death grip on Dipper's hand. She was certain it would fall off if she squeezed any tighter. The girl turned and glided out to the balcony. Dipper stepped forward, pulling Lydia with him. She wanted to keep her feet planted where they were, yet she followed in amazement in fear. Another gust of wind dropped the temperature, though no apparition appeared. Through the open door, the wind travelled. Muriel's giggling face fell to a sad grimace of routine. The wind picked up, whirling around the room and out on the balcony, finally pushing her over the railing. A startling scream escaped Muriel's mouth as she fell.

Green. The light was green. The tightness of the room seemed to fall with Muriel. Not to say there wasn't an eerie feeling nesting throughout the lighthouse, but the tension had been lifted. Lydia's finger's loosened. With the threat gone, she realized she was holding his hand. Dipper immediately ached for the comfort of her grip, but he pushed the feeling to the bottom of his stomach.

He pointed the camera at Lydia. The moonlight made her even prettier, somehow. The silence, combined with the stare of the camera made Lydia blush.

"I'm ready to get out of this place," She announced with a tense laugh. "This has been enough excitement for me for the day."

She started down the stairs, and he followed silently. By the time they reached the bottom of the steps, the air felt lighter. Lydia turned to Dipper with a smile. Her mouth opened, and she prepared to say something, when another laugh echoed throughout the lighthouse once more, sinking into the furniture and walls. Lydia's mouth thinned.

"Nope!" She exclaimed, turning and quickly jogging out of the lighthouse.

Behind the camera, Dipper couldn't help but smile, though the reappearance of the ghost sent shivers down his spine. He, too, was quick to leave the lighthouse. He found Lydia leaned against her car. Dipper turned off the camera, putting it in his bag as he walked towards her.

"Are you okay?" He questioned.

"Yeah… just… that was real."

"Real as it gets," He confirmed. "I didn't sneak here earlier to set up a Scooby Doo rig to scare you and get content."

"No, I know," She said, almost annoyed. "That was the first time I've seen a ghost, so cut me some slack."

Her phone rang and her eyes lit up. A curse word slipped out of her mouth as she fished it out of her pocket, answering it.

"Hi mom… No, I'm sorry- I was out hiking and I took the wrong trail. It was a lot longer than I thought it would be… I'm fine, yeah… You know I'm careful. I know what I'm doing out there… No, there wasn't any reception. It's the middle of the woods… Okay, I'm sorry. I just got to my car, I'm leaving. I'm across town, so I'll be home within a half hour… Oh, you work tonight? Well, be safe. I'll see you in the morning… Yeah, I love you too. Bye."

She ended the call and looked at Dipper in slight embarrassment, "Sorry- it was my mom. We should get going."

He agreed, and they climbed into the car. As they began driving, he tried to think of a way to talk to her… to admit he wanted to see her more. Nothing he thought of sounded right. It was illogical and irrational. The entire situation was a mess in his head. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he almost didn't realize Lydia was talking to him.

"Are you going to try to drive home tonight?" She worriedly asked.

"I don't know," He admitted. "It's already 10- I'll probably just grab a motel room for the night. I'll have Soos- he works with me at the Shack- open the place up an hour or two later tomorrow and just keep an eye on it for me."

"Good. I didn't want you to leave tonight. I mean-" Lydia blushed and stumbled over her words, "It's not safe to drive that far again tonight. Stay at 'The Rock Inn', it's the least sketchy place in town."

Dipper smiled, "Thanks for the advice. Your parents aren't mad at you, are they?"

"No, they just get worried sometimes. This past year I've been hiking and like, embracing the wilderness more," She laughed. "I'm just outside a lot. I'm alone all the time, and I try to keep them updated so they don't think I fell down a hole or something."

"Oh. So the whole hiking thing wasn't a complete lie? I mean- we weren't hiking, but you actually do it?"

"Totally! I found a great little clearing about a month ago. It's up the Surges Mountains. Absolutely stunning, I'll have to show you sometime… or something, I don't know."

"Yeah," Dipper agreed. He wasn't sure what he was agreeing to. It felt like they were acknowledging the desire for a future, but he kept his thoughts to himself. In fact, the rest of the drive back to the coffee shop was silent. His car was alone in the parking lot. Lydia pulled up next to it and put her vehicle in park.

"Thank you," She awkwardly said. "Tonight was fun. It was a nice adventure."

"The pleasure was all mine, honestly," Dipper admitted as he looked at her. Her braided hair was loose and frizzy, and her face was flush. His stomach filled with needles of emotion that spread throughout his body. Lust, fear, and admiration- they flooded every inch of him. But no matter the adventurer he claimed to be, he couldn't bring himself to face his feelings. "Well, I should get going. I need to find that motel."

"Just go straight down this road through maybe 2 intersections and it should be on the left next to a car detailing place and a Wendy's. It's at the beginning of the strip, so it's pretty easy to find."

"Thanks," He said, half-heartedly, as he opened the door. "Be safe getting home."

"I will… bye… have a good night…"

Dipper mustered a 'bye' before shutting the door. He closed his eyes and let a deep sigh out. Every romantic comedy he'd ever seen told him to turn around and get back in the car, to kiss her and tell her he wanted to be with her. But if his life was a romantic comedy, it was a terrible movie. He climbed into his car. Lydia looked over at him and then drove off. He waited until her car was out of sight before he leaned his head back and muttered,

"Fuck."


	4. Chapter 4

Lydia woke up to the sun blinding her through a slit in her curtain. Though her eyes wanted to remain closed permanently, she peeked at the time. Across the room, her clock displayed a large red '9:02'. She groaned and rolled towards the wall. Her alarm was set to go off in 28 more minutes. She had to work the lunch shift, which was the last thing she felt like doing. She had been up late the night before, stir crazy and left alone with her thoughts, she couldn't keep Dipper away. The thought of Dipper, even in her half-asleep mind, was enough to get her to crawl out of bed. She swung herself into a sitting position and reached for her blinking phone.

**Dipper**

Hey… I'd like to see you before I leave… I'm at The Rock. I'll probably leave around 9:30.

The message had been lingering in her inbox for 10 minutes. Her heart skipped a beat and she jumped out of bed. Half asleep, she stumbled to the bathroom. After doing her business, she decided she didn't have time for a shower. Sliding down the hall and back into her room, she looked for work clothes. There were no uniforms hanging in her closet or in her drawers. Instead, they all lie in a dirty mess on her floor. She sniffed a few garments before throwing on the least smelly pair. In the mirror above her dresser, she stared at herself. She looked hungover and sleep deprived. As much as she wanted to look adorable and put together, she had to be to work immediately after seeing Dipper. She threw her wavy hair into a bun, put on some deodorant, and sprayed a cloud of vanilla spray around herself. She skidded down the stairs after putting her shoes on, grabbing her keys and purse from beside the closet.

"Going somewhere?" Her dad called out, from the living room.

"I'm going to be late for work!" She exclaimed frantically. "See you in a few hours!"

She didn't want for a reply, bolting down the driveway. Her house, of course, was nowhere near The Rock Inn. She hadn't thought to call or text Dipper back letting him know she wanted to see him until she was already driving. Driving as fast as she could without becoming subject to a police chase, Lydia sped through Astoria. It was a few minutes past 9:30 when she pulled into the parking lot at the motel. Her eyes darted across the lot looking for Dipper's car… she didn't see it anywhere. She tilted her head back to the ceiling and let out a frustrated and tear filled yell. If she didn't think her car would fall apart at the touch, she would've beat her steering wheel.

Catching her eye, Dipper's car came barreling around the corner. Lydia had forgotten there was a back lot at the Inn. She threw her car into park in the middle of the lot and leapt out. She yelled his name, hoping her voice would reach him. His car lurched in her direction, coming to a smooth park next to her vehicle. He climbed out and walked towards her. Without saying a word, he grabbed her hand and tugged her close. His hands moved to rest gently around her neck, and he pulled her face to his. Lydia wasn't surprised or startled, just pleased that he did it. She relaxed into his hold, putting her arms around his waist and parting his lips with her tongue.

When they pulled apart, Lydia was startled at the look on Dipper's face. His eyes were a rich brown that, for a moment, she got caught in. Up close she could see every detail of his skin. She tried hard to memorize the placement of every freckle and pore. She looked down at his lips before kissing him again briefly, this time softer. She was infatuated with the way he felt against her. Another peck of their lips. Dipper pulled back, his hands slowly drawing circles on the back of her neck. His fingertips sent shivers down her spine.

"Only someone as cute as you could look that good in a Burger King uniform," He quipped with a smile, finally breaking the silence.

Lydia laughed and pulled away from him, "Hey now!"

"And the smell of grease is somehow less nauseating," He added.

"I'm sorry! I didn't have any clean uniforms and I was desperate to see you before you left."

She blushed, realizing what she'd said. Dipper grinned and leaned in for another kiss, which Lydia granted with ease.

"What now?" She muttered.

"I… I don't know," He admitted. "But I couldn't leave without seeing you… without at least trying."

"Do you have to go?" She jokingly said with a defeated laugh.

He tilted his head back and stared into the sky for a moment before letting out a strenuous sigh, "We can do this, right? We can try?"

"Whatever 'this' is," Lydia admitted, doubtful and anxious. "It's crazy, right? Dipper, we're 6 hours apart, and I leave for school-"

He silenced her with a kiss, then rested his forehead against hers, "Just be quiet, Lydia."

"They're legitimate concerns," She pressed.

"What did you repeat a thousand times yesterday? 'Don't fear the unknown, whatever the circumstance'?"

"You heard that?" She muttered under her breath.

"I couldn't keep my eyes off of you, Lydia. Of course I heard it. You can call me crazy all you want- call whatever this is between us crazy- but give it a chance. You didn't barrel over here to see me just to turn me down, did you?"

"This is crazy," She stated. "But why not?"

Dipper kissed her with excitement, "That's a better answer."

She rested her head against his chest. They stood for a long moment. There in the middle of the parking lot at a motel, time stood still for a glorious minute. Dipper didn't care about anything other than Lydia pressed against his chest, and she was focused on holding him long enough to remember the feeling. One of them had to break the moment.

"I have to get to work," Lydia said, almost inaudibly, into his shirt. She looked up at Dipper, who's eyes were fixed somewhere in the distance.

"Okay," He finally said, glancing down at her. "I guess I've got to leave, too."

"Please drive safe," Lydia almost begged. "And text me when you get home."

"Of course," He smiled. "We'll talk tonight, right? The Shack closes at 6… I might make it in time to work today."

He laughed and Lydia was mesmerized.

"If I don't go I probably won't have a job anymore… not that that's a bad thing…"

Dipper kissed her again, lingering. Lydia took a step back and gave him a smile. Dipper walked her the few steps to her car and dipped down to kiss her again, bidding her a drawn out goodbye. Threatened with the loss of her job, Lydia finally had to leave. Dipper felt alone and vulnerable standing there. He got in his car and resumed his GPS, setting sails to Gravity Falls. He drove in silence.

A five hour shift felt like a five year shift. Lydia finally made it home. She stumbled through the front door and shed her keys, bag and shoes. In doing so, she released a stench that wafted across the house. Her sister, Annie, and her best friend Danielle were on the couch, giggling over something when Lydia arrived home. They both let out an insult over the gross smell.

"I've had a long day, guys," Lydia protested. "I don't feel like fighting with you."

"I'm not fighting," Annie stated flatly. "You just smell. Like, bad."

"Well I'm going to take a shower," Lydia snapped, tensely, stomping up the steps.

She was angry at her job. She was angry that Dipper was gone. She was upset that she was alone when all she wanted was to be back on the beach with Dipper, baking under the sun next to a beached ship. She had cried the entire way to work and the entire way home. It wasn't just that she was afraid and excited and lonely- a bag of emotions all at once. It was that someone was now suddenly her friend. After a year of loneliness, she got a taste of having a friend. She got a taste of the warmth of another person. She missed talking to someone other than her family or peers at work. She missed Dipper before they even met. Now that they've crossed paths, she was destined to miss him even more.

Her shower was well needed, and she no longer smelled like a gym bag. She put on her favorite pair of old pajamas: a tattered volleyball t-shirt and a pair of yellow bottoms adorned with monkeys. She climbed into bed opened her laptop. She had over a day's worth of social media to check up on, plus read all the new material from the blogs she followed. There was still about an hour until Dipper was set to arrive back in Gravity Falls, so she leaned back and tried getting caught up on normal teenage girl things. Though she didn't have any friends from school, she still liked to see what everyone was up to. She absently scrolled through the blogs she followed for a few minutes before pulling up Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained. Though she'd been over every inch of his blog before, she began reading some of his posts. She could feel his personality through the words, and she got to hear his voice in the videos.

Her phone rang, and she jumped to find it beneath the covers. She looked at it with a sigh, seeing her dad's name on her screen. She answered it with an almost annoyed 'hello'.

"Grumpy right off the bat, great," He responded. "Anyway, Tim's daughter got hurt at softball practice and I've got to stay to cover his shift. I won't get home until probably ten, and your mom is working until God knows when. You're going to have to order a pizza for you and Annie."

"And Danielle," Lydia huffed.

"Okay, and Danielle," He sighed. "There should be 40 bucks in my sock drawer. And don't get something the girls won't like."

"Okay, dad, I got it," Lydia pushed. "Pizza, no anchovies and pineapple. Easy. See you later."

She climbed out of bed and padded down the stairs to see Annie, Danielle, and two other girls in the living room.

"Does dad know you have all these people over?" Lydia announced.

"We're practicing for Seven Brides," Annie stated, matter-of-factly, referring to the musical the local theater was putting on over the summer.

"Well he's staying at work until closing time, so we have to get pizza for dinner. We can get two large pizzas from Gigi's with the money I have, so pepperoni and cheese and?"

"I'm actually a vegetarian," One of the girls quipped. "So the other one will have to be just cheese."

Lydia rolled her eyes, "Okay. Whatever."

She looked up and dialed Gigi's phone number as she climbed the stairs, ordering the two pizzas. She had barely hung up with the pizza place when her phone rang again- and this time it was Dipper. She smiled instantly, answering it enthusiastically.

"Hi!"

He laughed, "Hello, beautiful. You sound like you're in a good mood."

Though he was miles away, Lydia shrugged, "Today has been exhausting, but I'm glad I get to talk to you. Was your drive okay?"

"Yeah, luckily there wasn't a lot of traffic. I'm defiantly not going to leave my house and go to the Shack though- I'm beat."

"Good, I'm selfish. I'd rather have you talking to me."

The two talked and laughed like school children. Dipper told Lydia all about growing up in California and spending time in Gravity Falls every summer. They talked about their favorite foods and movies and music. And then… the doorbell rang.

Lydia let out a, "Fuck! The pizza! Hold on, Dipper!" as she ran out of her room and into her parents room. She dug through her father's sock drawer and nearly tripped down the stairs trying to balance the phone and the money. Her sister stood at the base of the door with a young pizza guy, both watching the train wreck unfold. Lydia slid across the hardwood floor, her socks adding an extra push in the direction of the pizza guy. She stumbled into him, apologizing profusely.

"Here-" She clamped both twenty dollar bills in his hand. "Just keep the change. I'm sorry, again, really sorry!"

Confused and entertained, the kid waved goodbye to Annie and her friends, then turned and left the house. Annie set the pizzas down on the table beside the door and scolded Lydia.

"I go to school with him, Lydia. Way to embarrass us."

"Like anyone cares, Annie."

Annie looked at the phone in Lydia's hand with slit eyes, "Are you… talking to someone right now?"

"Just give me the pizza. I'm starving," Lydia injected, changing the conversation. "You guys better use plates. If you get pizza sauce on the couch mom will kill you. She will literally murder you guys."

"Whatever," Annie rolled her eyes and motioned for her friends to follow the two into the kitchen.

Lydia quickly plated herself a few pieces of pizza and grabbed a soda from the fridge before carefully scaling the stairs again. Once settled in her room she checked to make sure Dipper was still on the phone.

"I'm so sorry," She apologized. "I forgot I ordered pizza, and then I like, ran into the guy and Annie was being Annie and I just really wanted some pizza-"

Dipper interrupted her with a laugh, "It's okay! Pizza is a serious subject, Lydia."

The two managed to get back to their string of conversations about everything and anything while Lydia chowed down on pizza, and long after the pizza was gone. Lydia loved that Dipper felt like home. She loved that time didn't exist when they were talking. She was infatuated with everything and anything involving Dipper… and she hoped that she wasn't pushing it too quickly.


	5. Chapter 5

"Annie told me you were on the phone with someone the other day."

Lydia froze, her hand jolted to a stop over her cereal bowl, splashing a few pieces on her spoon back into the bowl. She slowly shoveled the spoon into her mouth, ignoring her mother. She was thankful her back was turned- she was too busy brewing her coffee to notice Lydia's hiccup. But Lydia could only get away with silence for so long. Her mom turned around and looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"And she said you were laughing."

"Is it a crime to laugh?" Lydia mused, then glared at her sister. "Are you ease dropping?"

"I was legitimately concerned, Lyds!" Annie exclaimed. "You're usually quiet in there. I heard laughter and thought someone broke in and was getting their jollies slicing you up or something."

Lydia rolled her eyes, but her mother nodded in agreement, saying, "You haven't exactly been social since…"

"To answer your question, yes, I was on the phone with someone," Lydia injected after toying with her words for a second. She didn't particularly want to tell them about Dipper, especially only a few days after meeting him, but it would be hard to keep whatever it is they had going without her family's knowledge. "I met someone at the coffee shop the other day."

Okay, not a total lie.

"Someone… like a boy?" Her mom said, eyes flickering. She leaned in closer like a young girl.

"Like a boy," Lydia mocked. She couldn't help but let the corner of her mouth curl into a smile.

"Is he from Astoria? Did he go to your school? What is his name?" Her mom was back in parent mode; her questions seemed to be never ending.

"He's from out of town… way out of town. He was travelling," Lydia had to be quick on her feet to create a story. "And he stopped for some coffee. I don't know, he just introduced himself, and he ended up staying in town longer than he had planned."

Her mother gushed, "Oh, how cute!"

"Is he hot?" Annie questioned with a wicked smile.

Simultaneously, their mother shouted "Annie!" and Lydia shrugged, "Yup."

She reached for her phone, which was dangerously close to falling off the island counter, and with a few taps pulled up a picture of Dipper from her photo album. She had begged him to send a picture for her to look at, since he was notoriously absent from all his videos. He responded with a string of pictures of him making ridiculous faces before finally sending a decent one. It was a mirror shot; he wasn't wearing a hat over his brown shaggy hair, and his mouth was curved into an adorable smile that was reflected in his eyes. She laid the phone on the table between the three of them to proudly show him off.

"He has beautiful eyes," Her mom mused.

Annie's lips were pursed and she nodded, "He's alright."

"Who is 'he' anyway?" Her mom pressed. "He doesn't even look like he's legal, actually…"

Lydia rolled her eyes, "His name is Dipper, and he's almost 20."

"What kind of name is Dipper?" Annie questioned.

Lydia smiled, thinking back to the car ride where she asked him that exact question. He had sighed in frustration. Everyone asked him at some point where his name came from, he had told her, then pushed his hair back exposing his forehead. Or rather, exposing the birth mark on his forehead in the shape of the big dipper. She was so amazed she nearly ran off the road. He followed the reveal with a story about how he hated the name growing up, but came to embrace it. Besides, he said, he had a sweet ass birth mark.

She told her family the quick story of his name. While she didn't like the never-ending string of questions, she enjoyed talking about Dipper. So when her mom asked about where he lived and what he did and his family, Lydia was happy to oblige. She told the truth about how far away he was and what he did, and yes, they did start talking because they both were into weird things (Annie was a stickler for the hard questions). For a few minutes, Lydia forgot about all the apprehension. She felt giddy. Her family wasn't the closest, but she didn't have anyone else to talk to about Dipper. It felt good to smile.

Until her mom asked, "So… do you see this going anywhere?"

Lydia's smile fell and she looked at the counter, "I don't know."

"You can't just push it out of your mind, Lydia," She continued. "You're getting older now. You're going to school in the fall- out of state, none the less. I just don't want you to get hurt any more than you already have."

"U of W is actually an hour's less of a drive for him," Lydia offered. "It's just nice having a friend."

"Friends don't make you blush for 15 minutes straight," Annie cracked with a smile. "Hey! Speaking of friends, mom-"

"Nope," She said, cutting Annie off.

"Danielle, Thomas, Tori, and I need a ride to the movies tonight… also, hey; can I go to the movies?"

"I'm going in for a 4 hour shift- we had a nurse aid call off. Maybe Lydia can take you?"

"Sorry," Lydia said, sliding out of her seat and backing up out of the kitchen. "I've got stuff… and things to do…"

She hustled up the stairs to her room, diving back into her bed. It was only 10:30 in the morning, and she'd been awake for less than an hour, but she was exhausted from her conversation with her family. It was Saturday, and she was anxious. Dipper had told her Saturday's were his busiest day, and he probably couldn't text her often throughout the day. The two had begun Skype calling one another the previous night, and she loved getting to see him as well as talking to him. She was almost addicted to talking to him. After going almost a year with basically no interaction with anyone but her family, she craved discussion with someone new. When they weren't talking, she thought about him.

With her lights off and her blinds drawn, Lydia nestled deep into her bed. She turned on her TV and flipped on HGTV. Within a few minutes, she had drifted back to sleep.

An obnoxious buzz shook the bed next to Lydia's head. After a few long vibrations, Lydia groggily rolled over and grabbed the phone. Without opening her eyes or even looking at the screen, she answered. Still half asleep she mumbled,

"Hello?"

"You're kidding me!" Dipper exclaimed with an astonished laugh on the other end of the phone. "How are you still sleeping? It's like 2 in the afternoon."

Lydia sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, "I was awake earlier!"

"You sound really cute when you're still half asleep," Dipper wistfully blushed.

"Whatever," Lydia smiled. "Hey… shouldn't you be working?"

"I took a lunch break to talk to my girl."

Both of their faces turned red and their stomach's fluttered. Lydia's heart warmed and she wanted to pinch herself to see if she was still sleeping… nope… awake. Dipper made her feel like she was in a dream world constantly.

"You're sweet," She finally smiled.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

Her stomach dropped. That was not a good thing to hear in any circumstance. She could barely muster up a mutter of a response.

"Don't worry- it's nothing bad… I hope. I just wanted to see if… um… you'd want to see me this weekend?"

"What!" Lydia nearly screamed. "But, I though Mabel was coming? And the shop?"

"The shop is closed on Sunday's. Remember?" He laughed. "And Mabel suggested it to me. She told me she'll come during the week. Actually, my parents want to visit… so I'm sure I'll get roped into having them over too. But whatever, I don't care. So?"

"Of course I want to see you, butthead."

"I know you said your whole family has dinner on Sunday nights, but Sunday is the closest day I can see you… and I really want to see you."

"I'll talk to my parents," Lydia said. "But if you're coming on a Sunday, you'll get roped into dinner."

"Perfect," He smiled.

The Haddleback household was busy, despite it being 9 PM. In the living room, Annie and her friends were preparing to head to the movies after rehearsing (to the despair of everyone else in the house) for two hours. Lydia's mother was preparing for her quick shift at the hospital, while her father was in the kitchen making a sandwich before he had to drive a car full of teenagers to the movies. And Lydia herself was pacing in her bedroom, building the courage to enter her parent's bedroom and talk to her mom.

Finally, she padded out of her room and down the hall. She knocked briefly before swinging the door open. Her mom was standing in front of her dresser, pinning her hair back into a French twist. She peeked over at her daughter.

"Uh oh," She said. "What do you need?"

"Can't I offer my love and affection?" Lydia grinned.

"Always- but what do you need?"

Lydia's fingers clasped the door frame. She finally asked:

"Is Dipper allowed to come over on Sunday?"

Her mother paused and looked over at Lydia, who was unintentionally swaying in the doorframe. She was visibly nervous. It wasn't like she'd never asked her parents to have a friend, or a boy, over. But there was something entirely different about a boy driving 6 hours to visit you- and meet your family. But her mom could tell that Lydia really liked this boy. Not that she didn't have doubts, but she knew Lydia was growing up.

She turned back to the mirror and continued fixing her hair, "I don't see why not… just as long as he stays for dinner."

"Really?" Lydia questioned with big eyes.

"Really," Her mom laughed. "We're all excited to meet him."

"Thank you!" Lydia squealed with excitement before bouncing out of her mom's room and back into her room, excited to text Dipper and let him know.


	6. Chapter 6

Throughout the night, Lydia woke up exactly 7 times. She was restless; both nervous and excited, her tossing and turning was almost endless. She wasn't sure how much sleep she actually got, but at 6 in the morning when she finally decided to get up and shower, she was terrified of the bags under her eyes. First, she checked her phone to make sure Dipper was on his way. He was leaving at 4 in the morning to make sure he got to Astoria early in the morning. With a text at 4:03 saying he was on his way and he'd see her soon, Lydia set her phone down and padded into the bathroom. She stripped her clothes and climbed into the shower. The warm water tried coaxing her back to sleep, but she was ruthless in her quest to stay awake.

Her shower was longer than expected. She toweled off in the bathroom and brushed her teeth before going back to her room. The previous day, she had gone crazy trying to decide what to wear and how to style her hair. Makeup or no makeup? The last time she saw Dipper she was barefaced and in hiking gear. She wasn't one to dress up, but she wanted to impress Dipper. After a quick mental debate, she decided to blow dry her hair to maximize her waves and curls. It was half past 6, and she prayed the nose from her hair dryer wouldn't wake her family.

A half hour passed as she dried her long locks and put on a tank top and cotton shorts. She was waiting a while to completely get dressed, and in the meantime she needed coffee. As she made her way down the stairs, she noticed the kitchen light was on. She cursed under her breath. She had woken someone up. If it was Annie, her door would've been beaten down and she would have had to face an angry teenager. Her parents were another story.

It wasn't that she didn't love them- of course she did, they were her parents. The past year had distanced Lydia from everyone. She focused more on herself and her faults; she took the negatives that threw her into a depression for half the year into energy and drive. While the night at the party haunted her, she did not want to let it take over her life. Lydia knew she wasn't perfect, but she wasn't going to be one to let herself sit and sulk. Her life turned upside down and she lost her friends- she lost her support at school, and her senior year was lonely and cold. It took her longer than she'd like to admit, but she channeled that energy into her interests.

Her father was sitting at the island with a cup of coffee. He was unfolding the newspaper, which must have arrived just brief moments before she walked down the stairs. Lydia awkwardly walked into the room and over to the coffee pot. She pulled a cup out from the shelf and opened the fridge in search of creamer.

"Is all the hazelnut creamer gone?" She asked, finally breaking the silence.

Her father looked up and his lips pursed for a moment before concluding, "Your mom must have finished it yesterday. I know she's been using it. Isn't there French vanilla in there?"

"It's not as good," Lydia responded, grabbing it and pouring a little into the bottom of her cup. "Oh well. It's still creamer. I don't know how you drink yours black."

Her dad chuckled as Lydia winced at the thought of bitter black coffee. He took a long sip before answering,

"After a while I decided I needed the caffeine more than I needed the taste."

Lydia sat down at the island next to her dad and pulled the warm and steaming cup up to her lips. She took a tiny sip, but still burnt her tongue anyway. An uncomfortable silence settled over them. When she was younger, Lydia was a daddy's girl. She loved fishing and hiking with him; just being outside with her father was enough. While she didn't go hunting with him like Nick did, she still got to develop a bond with her father and the wilderness. She recently rekindled her relationship with the outdoors… but she wasn't sure if she could ever get to a position with her father where she didn't feel awkward and bumbling.

"So," He said, sipping his coffee. "This boy coming over today… do you like him?"

"Dad," Lydia blushed.

"I mean, is it serious? He obviously cares about you. Gravity Falls is quite the drive. I just know things have been… weird for you this year. I don't know what I'm trying to say."

Lydia's heart warmed, though she was still slightly flustered, "Yeah, I know."

"I just," He paused. "Your mom and I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm okay," Lydia promised. She stood up and topped off her coffee. "I'm um… going go to go watch some TV…"

Her dad didn't say anything as she left the kitchen and went back upstairs. She set her coffee down on her desk and turned her television on, scanning the channels before she settled on a cartoon. She sat down and opened her laptop to bide her time for another hour and a half. As she began to do her morning routine of checking her blog and social media sites, her phone lit up. She tilted her head, puzzled, as she received a call from Dipper. She answered it with a hit of fear in her voice.

"Hello?"

"Hey!" He exclaimed with pep, cooling her nerves. "I'm making amazing time. I think I'm going to be in town in like, 45 or 50 minutes."

"What?!" Lydia exclaimed.

"Is… that okay?"

"No-yes, I mean," Lydia was flustered. "Yes it's okay. You didn't speed too much, did you?"

"No, totally not," He said with a high pitched voice, then laughed. "I didn't speed any more than normal. 15 over, max."

"Just be careful," She warned.

"Always."

"Okay, well... thanks for the heads up. I probably wouldn't have even been dressed," She laughed for a second. "I still want to take you to breakfast. You have my addressed programed in, right? Just pull up and I'll come out. I'll be waiting for you."

"Sounds great," She could feel his smile through the phone. "I'll see you soon, Lydia."

"Be safe," She stressed. "See you soon!"

They said goodbye and Lydia bounced out of her chair. She had picked up her room the night before, but looking around, it still seemed messy. She quickly made her bed and decided that was all the time she had for anything. She scooted over to her closet and opened it, trying to make a final decision on what to wear. She had been trying to decide between a light sundress and a pair of shorts and a blouse. She finally grabbed a navy V-neck with a red anchor design in the middle and walked over to her dresser, pulling out a pair of black and white striped shorts. She turned and looked at herself in her full-length mirror. She contemplated changing, but knew if she started to try on different outfits she'd never stop. Her hair had dried nicely; her waves looked more like curls. Her bangs remained relatively straight, and were brushed to the side. She gave herself a slight nod of approval before taking it back.

She left her room and walked down to Annie's room, knocking a few times before bursting in. Annie was still sleeping, her arm dangling off the side of her bed. She was buried under her green and blue blanket. Her sister was a perfectionist- meaning her room was always meticulous and organized. Her lime green walls were lined with shelves holding awards and ribbons from theater and band. Her desk was full (yet organized) of schoolwork and textbooks. Next to her desk was a light blue pasapan chair. Like Lydia, Annie had her television on top of her dresser. There was a small bookshelf next to the closet door that housed her sheet music, scripts, and books. On top of that stood a small box for her nail polish and a stand for some of her jewelry- just what Lydia was looking for. She tip toed over and scanned her bracelets before grabbing a large gold bangle and slipping it on.

Not wanting to irritate her younger sister by taking her bracelet without asking, she walked over and gently tried shaking her awake, repeating her name a few times.

"What," Annie grumbled.

"I need to borrow this bracelet," Lydia said.

Annie rolled over and looked at her sister with one eye open. Lydia had her arm extended out to show Annie the bracelet. Annie mumbled, "I approve."

"Do I look okay? Is this too fancy looking? Is it not nice enough?"

"You look fine, now get out before I sacrifice a pillow and throw it at your head."

"Fine!" Lydia raised her arms and slowly backed out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She walked back to her room and looked at the time. She still had at least twenty minutes before Dipper was set to arrive. She grabbed a pair of socks, and set down put her Chucks on. All morning she had debated on wearing makeup, and she finally decided to go with a little eyeliner and a bold shade of red for her lips that matched the design on her shirt. She gave her room a final look, then gave herself a final look before closing her door and walking to the living room.

Her mom was awake, sitting on the couch watching a talk show. She looked over at Lydia and smiled.

"Well don't you look nice!"

"Yeah," Lydia said faintly, embarrassed.

"I thought Dipper was coming at 9? It's barely after 8."

"No traffic," Lydia responded. "We'll probably be out most of the day. I'm going to take him to Pig 'N Pancake for breakfast then I figured we'd just walk the dock and do tourist-y things… so we will be gone most of the day."

"You know the rules for Sunday," Her mom warned. "Nick will be here around 4, dinner at 5:30. Don't push it either. You know we are all eager to meet your friend."

"I know, mom."

Lydia walked over and perched herself by the windows, pulling the blinds up so she could watch for Dipper. Her mom unpaused her talk show and turned back to the television. She couldn't see her dad in the kitchen and wondered where he went. She turned back to her street watch. A few minutes passed before she spotted Dipper's red car slowly crept down the road. Lydia perked up, closing the blinds and hustling over to the closet where her purse hang.

"Okay mom, I'm leaving!" She exclaimed, opening the door.

"Hey! Hold on," Her mom said, pausing the show and turning to Lydia. "Be careful, okay? And text me if you decide to leave town for some reason. And make sure you're back in time for dinner. And if you need me to pick me up, don't hesitate to call. Okay?"

"Oh… kay?" Lydia questioned. "I'll see you at 5:30! Bye, love you!"

She rushed out of the house, securing the door behind her. Dipper was waiting in the driveway. He watched as she left the house, shuffling quickly over to his car. She looked beautiful. The last time they were together she was gorgeous. Her natural beauty shone through, and she had an Earthy vibe with her hiking gear. But today… he was taken aback by the way she shone. Her clothes were more form-fitting, and he could see her curves. Her hair, her makeup- her… she was just…

The door opened, startling Dipper for a second. Lydia slid in and looked over at him with a nervous smile.

"Find it okay?"

"With ease," He smiled. "You look great- just perfect, I mean-"

He stopped and blushed, apologizing. Lydia laughed a little. She slowly reached her hand over and grabbed his, squeezing it slightly.

"You up for breakfast?" She questioned.

"And coffee," Dipper nodded. "The drive is hitting me."

"I can drive if you want," Lydia offered.

"I've got it. Just lead the way!"

Dipper regained control of the wheel and pulled out of the driveway, following Lydia's leave. He gave her house one last look before heading back down the street. It was a nice house on a quiet street. The house was a large two story square with dark green siding and tan shutters. The attached garage stuck out a little farther than the house and looked like the white door had a fresh coat of paint on it. The house had two columns and a stone half-wall framing the front porch. Wood stairs led to a stone path that led to the cement driveway. The lawn was well maintained and featured two flowerbeds on either side of the stairs. The backyard was fenced off with high wooden planks.

Lydia's house was a far cry from the Shack. Dipper had done his best to fix it over the past year that he'd owned it since Stan's death, but to be honest, he wasn't the handiest person and the Shack was an old house. While the actual business had been kept up and maintained over the years because a good front gives good business, the house hadn't faired too well. Dipper had removed all the carpet and restained the hardwood floors throughout the house. Fresh paint took away some of the old look and smell. The kitchen was still straight out of the 70s- it was a project he was meaning to get to. The same went for the bathroom, though he had installed a new toilet. He had finally cleared out Stan's room a few months ago, but he still kept his room up in the attic. The spare room on the first floor remained empty too… for a while… before it began accumulating items for the Shack. It became a storage unit of sorts.

"Are you okay?"

Lydia broke his thought. He shook his head and looked over at her. He had been blindly following her directions, yet zoned out of conversation. He was wrapped up in thoughts of the Shack.

"Yeah… just, uh, thinking about my uncle."

Lydia offered a half smile for reassurance, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Dipper immediately snapped. He apologized right after, "I'm sorry. It's just… still… not something I can really talk about."

"It's okay," Lydia said, though her feelings were hurt. She had pried before about his uncle, and he told her the same thing. She thought they were in a place where they could talk about everything, but apparently he didn't think the same thing. _It's not like we're dating, _Lydia thought to herself, _he doesn't have to tell me anything_.

"So, um, Pigs 'N Pancakes, huh?" Dipper said breaking the silence as he pulled into the busy restaurant's parking lot. "Sounds scrumptious."

"It's good," Lydia confirmed distantly.

Dipper sighed and put the car in park. He could tell Lydia was mad, and it was obviously about his lack of wanting to talk about Stan. But he'd told her before he didn't want to discuss it yet- he wasn't in a place where he felt like he could. Over the years Stan became more of a dad to him than his own father did. Stan taught him almost everything he knew about not only business, but life.

The two left the car and Dipper winced when Lydia slammed the door. He was growing more irritated as the minutes went by. He apparently had drove 6 hours for her to throw a fit. Tension grew between the two as they entered the busy restaurant. The noise only helped irritate Dipper more. He was used to screaming kids and overall loud noises, but he was already mad and the commotion wasn't helping. Lydia gave their name and crossed her arms as the waitress told them it'd be a few minutes before a table opened up.

If things kept going the way they were, the day would be a disaster.


	7. Chapter 7

Dipper watched as Lydia buried her nose in the menu. He knew she'd been here a thousand times before, and he knew she always got the same thing. But her eyes were looking for a distraction. She was angry and hurt- it was obvious. It wasn't like he wasn't upset, either. Doubt filled both their minds. Had they moved too fast? Now, away from the lighthouse- away from the ghouls, were they a good match? The feelings they had were still nestled in their hearts and stomachs, but were the butterflies worth the agitation and hurt?

"Hi; thanks for stopping at Pig 'N Pancake. My name is Mercedes, how can I help you two this morning? Wait a second… Lydia? How are you?!"

Lydia peeked up from her menu and looked at the waitress with a half-smile. The waitress was young and perky. Her blonde hair was curled up in a messy bun and her delicate looking face was slathered with makeup. She was tall and thin, her clothes almost hanging off of her.

"Hey, Mercedes," Lydia greeted awkwardly.

"We were all worried about you when we heard you weren't going to be at graduation. It rained that day, and the speeches were long. You didn't miss much."

"Yeah," Lydia mumbled.

"Anyhow," The girl twirled her pen out of her apron and touched it to her notepad. "What can I get you guys to drink?"

"I'll have some orange juice," Lydia said.

Mercedes turned to Dipper, who had remained quiet during their interaction. He was taken off guard, not really paying attention to what was going on.

"Ah, coffee. Black. Thanks."

She tapped her pen, smiled and walked away. Dipper looked at Lydia with his head cocked. He was waiting for her to explain what had happened. He was under the impression that the entire city of Astoria hated Lydia. While he knew high school kids often over exaggerate things, after hearing the story, he agreed. But he didn't know she skipped graduation. And he defiantly didn't think anyone from her school would be friendly with her.

"She's fishing for a good tip," Lydia grunted, then buried her head back in the menu.

Dipper let out an obviously angry sigh, "Seriously, Lydia. Are you going to be like this all day? I drove 6 hours to see you, and you're going to be bitchy?"

"So I'm bitchy?" She questioned, her eyebrows raising.

He tipped his head back and nearly exclaimed, "No! You're difficult and stubborn."

"Whatever."

"Okay- so be mad at me. But be civil while were here, and we can talk about whatever our problem is later when we aren't in public, okay?"

Lydia took a deep breath and exhaled and agreement, "Okay."

A few moments later Mercedes swung back by the table, dropping off their drinks. With a peachy smile she asked if they were ready to order, and Dipper quickly asked for more time. He had been so busy being angry and detaching himself from the morning that he hadn't even looked at the menu. The girl glided away and he opened the menu.

"What's good?" He asked Lydia.

"Everything," She said shortly, then smiled. "I always get the apple crepes, but the pecan pancakes are good. And if you're feeling extra adventurous you can try the crab and cheese omelette."

"I think you costal folk's obsession with crab has gone too far."

"It's savory," Lydia defended with a laugh.

"The pecan pancakes sound pretty good, actually," Dipper said, sipping his coffee. It was strong enough to kick him back awake.

When the waitress sauntered back over, Dipper did in fact order the pecan pancakes and Lydia ordered the apple crepes. After she left the two sat in silence for a long moment, surrounded by the chatter and laughter of others… until Lydia broke the silence.

"Mercedes was one of the worst of them all," She said. "She was super popular and hangs out with a lot of college kids, so when the story about what I did got around, she took it super personally for some reason. She would torture me at school. She had her friends follow me home and throw stuff at me. Our house got toilet papered. My car was egged. They put fish in my car… my backpack… basically any way they could put fish on me, they did. She would shove me in the halls and make me drop my books and 'accidentally' trip me. One time she tripped me in the lunch room and I fell onto my tray and got disgusting gravy all over my face and clothes. She made my life hell. She wasn't upset I wasn't at graduation because she was concerned about me. She was upset because it was her last opportunity to humiliate me in front of everyone."

"Oh," Dipper was speechless. "I'm so sorry, Lydia. You never told me that stuff. I just thought…"

"I know," She said. "It's hard to talk about. I was messed up- I still am, I guess. I don't know. Like I said, it's hard to talk about."

Dipper frowned. He felt like shit. He had forgotten that Lydia had demons, too. He was so focused on hiding his emotions when it came to his uncle that he forgot that she had gone through some traumatic things the past year, too. He was selfish. He didn't really know how to talk about being upset. Wendy respected his requests to not talk about the bad stuff. It was probably the demise of their relationship. They never fought. 16 year old Dipper thought that was awesome; he got to have sex with a hot older girl who he was in love with and they never had any arguments. He thought they would get married. But the older he got, the more he realized what he and Wendy had was unstable and lacked life. When he found out she had been cheating on him with Robbie for nearly the last year of their relationship, he wasn't as upset as he should have been. He knew something wasn't right. He had distanced himself from her, and she from him. Even with Stan had been sick she wouldn't come around. She'd ignore his calls and texts. She didn't even go to his funeral.

"Stan was … he got really sick-"

"Dipper, don't," Lydia stopped him, much to Dipper's surprise. "We don't have to do this now. Here. Or ever. I just don't want to ruin our relationship because I'm pushing you too hard to talk about something you obviously don't want to talk about."

He couldn't help but smile, "I want to talk about it, I'm just not… ready."

"I know. I accept that. I understand it. But it still hurts my feelings. You'll be ready when you're ready, and I'm going to have to accept that."

Their conversation was interrupted by Mercedes sliding their plates onto the table. With a forced smile, she wished them a good breakfast and promised to be back with a coffee refill for Dipper soon. When she left Dipper reached his hand across the table and squeezed Lydia's reassuringly. The squeeze helped ease the conversation, to lighten the little tension that still lingered around the two.

With the fight seemingly over and all bad feelings pushed aside, the two enjoyed their morning breakfast. Under the table they played footsie while above they discussed their plans for the day over breakfast. Lydia expressed her excitement having Dipper back in town and her fears for him meeting her family that night. He agreed, admitting there was a pit in his stomach. He never really had to 'meet' the family before; he had known Wendy's family for quite some time. Mercedes quietly dropped off the bill while refilling Dipper's coffee for the third time. Both had been done with their food for quite some time. Dipper needed the third cup to fuel the rest of the day, so the two sat for a few more minutes so he could quickly gulp down the caffeine. The two paid and left without leaving a tip for Mercedes, though Lydia had suggested leaving a dollar with a piece of chewed up gum stuck to the bill.

The next stop for the two was the Columbia River Maritime Museum which was just down the road from the restaurant. It was a typical tourist-y thing to do in Astoria. Each summer the place was full of people. Lydia had gone in elementary school on a field trip and hadn't gone back since. The parking lot was already half full when they arrived. Dipper was surprised at how modern the museum looked. He was even more surprised by the collection of old historical boats parked around the museum. Lydia informed him they were part of the museum's collection. Once inside, the two experienced cannons, ship parts, and displays from corner to corner. It was better than Lydia had remembered. Maybe because she was with Dipper. They held hands and snuck kisses across the museum, taking pictures in front of the displays. Dipper whipped out his video camera on occasion just so he could watch the video when he missed Lydia. They even had a woman take a picture of the two together.

After an hour at the museum the two piled into his car and drove a short distance to the Astoria Column- one of Lydia's favorite places in the entire town. It was a 600 foot tall column that held an observation deck at the top overlooking the entire city. Lydia grabbed Dipper's hand and eagerly tugged him towards the monument.

"164 steps, you say?" Dipper questioned with a nervous laugh. "I'm not really sure I can handle that."

"It's not that bad; I promise!"

"I'm not sure I completely trust you when you say that."

"164 steps is nothing, seriously. Wait until I take you hiking!" She blushed.

"Hiking, huh?" He kissed her cheek.

They began to climb the stairs. The column wasn't busy; it never was, as Lydia explained. There would be a few people here and there. Tourists liked the view but didn't like the steps. So while the monument received visitors, it was never very many at a time. While they climbed they didn't run into any other patrons.

"This isn't too bad," Dipper admitted, halfway up the stairs. "164 stairs seems like a 5k race."

"There are almost 2,000 steps to the top of the Empire State Building," Lydia said, a few steps ahead. "They do races and stuff to the top."

"I'll pass," Dipper announced, trying to hide the fact that he was winded. Walking up a flight of stairs is a lot different than walking on one flat piece of flooring. The incline strained his ankles and made his breaths heavy. But within a minute or two, they were already at the top.

There was nobody else on the observatory. Dipper and Lydia had the entire deck to themselves. It was a breathtaking view. The two leaned against the rail on one side of the deck. In front of them were stretches of forestry, water and city mixed together in the perfect blend of Astoria, Oregon. The large Astoria Bridge that forged a path from Oregon to Washington reflected the warm sunlight onto the two. On the river boats came and went, moving slowly into the port. The top of the trees were lush and felt like they were within arm's reach. The scene was like a picture.

"Wow," Dipper breathed. "This is great."

"Pretty, isn't it? Astoria has some amazing views. This is nothing compared to the views in the woods. Hiking in the morning and seeing the sun rise over the mountains- stunning."

"I dunno. This is pretty nice," Dipper teased.

Lydia leaned against his side and laced their hands together. She wanted time to stand still. In fact, she decided if the world were to blow up at that exact moment it would be okay because she spent her last moments on that tower with Dipper. She could feel his eyes on her, and she let them linger for a few seconds before looking back up. He wasted no time leaning in for a kiss, sweeping her off her feet. It was forceful while still being delicate. His hands grazed her face, pulling her closer. Dipper seemed content kissing her all afternoon, but Lydia needed to breathe. She pulled back and gulped in air.

"Trying to kill me?" She questioned with a smile.

"Be my girlfriend, Lydia," Dipper almost pleaded, taking Lydia off guard. "I know your family thinks it's dumb to see me. I know we live light years away from each other and you're going to school soon. I know we're both trying to figure out life and whatever- but fuck it. Let's figure out life together. I want to be with you. I will drive 12 hours every day if it means I get to see you for a few hours. So, let's do this?"

Lydia couldn't help but let out a giggle of excitement and happiness as she repeated, "Let's do this."

She leaned up for another kiss and Dipper delivered. He slid his hands around her waist and inched them down her backside, cupping her buttocks. It came as a shock to Lydia, but she didn't stop him. This kiss was more passionate. Though it still was laced with a sense of neediness, it was less forceful. A delicate mixture of sweet nothings and lust. Lydia leaned against his chest and he held her for a moment. He nudged her up for a second, grabbing his back pack from by their feet. Once his camera was out he pointed it at Lydia and smiled. The red light flickered.

"What are you thinking?" He asked.

She blushed and turned away, "I've got butterflies. Put that thing away! You're embarrassing me."

"You're cute when you're embarrassed, though," Dipper whined.

"Let me have it," Lydia ushered. "C'mon!"

"Nope! Gotta capture the view," Dipper said, keeping the camera on Lydia. "We don't have these views in Gravity Falls."

"Whatever," Lydia huffed.

Dipper panned the camera across the observatory deck then back to Lydia.

"What else are we doing today? Besides dinner at your parents."

"Put the camera away and I'll tell you."

The lens lingered on Lydia for a few seconds before the flashing red light disappeared and the power turned off. Dipper slid the camera back in his back pack, then slung it over his shoulder. The two shared a kiss and then walked over to the door and headed down the stairs. On their way they passed an older couple who greeted them with a nod and a smile. Dipper and Lydia scurried to the car, where they shared another kiss.

"So are you going to tell me how we're going to kill the next few hours?"

"I was going to suggest browsing the vintage stores downtown-" Dipper made a strange face. "But now I think maybe we should go to my house. I should be able to convince my parents to leave us alone in my room. We can watch a movie or two. Evil Dead?"

"Are you sure?"

"Why not?" Lydia shrugged.

"Alright…"

"Are you okay? You seem… nervous."

Dipper started the car, "I am nervous. I don't want your family to hate me."

"They won't," Lydia assured. "And if they do, you're the first person to talk to me in like a year that wasn't required to… so they basically have to like you by default."

"Thanks," Dipper laughed.

The two talked about the weather and old horror movies, about Dipper's Guide and an upcoming project he was working on. While most of Gravity Falls' secrets had ended up on the blog, there were new stories of a lumberjack figure walking deep in the woods. When he got back to the Falls, he planned on going to the library and hitting up some locals for information. Dipper was telling Lydia his plan for hunting when they pulled up to her house, parking on the street. Lydia squeezed his hand reassuringly as they walked up to the house.

Lydia unlocked and opened the door. Her parents were both sitting in the living room; her mom curled up with a book and her dad watching something on the television. They both turned and stared at the two standing in the door.

Dipper quickly scanned the house. It was warm. To the left of the front door was the living room. The walls were a dark sage green. The large dark wooden entertainment center housed a flat screen television. Both sides of the stand were full of pictures and books. There was a tan suede sectional sofa positioned around the television. One side lay flush against the wall; the other stuck out and lay parallel to the television. On the other side of the room was a wooden desk and a computer. There was a long hall off the living room, and Dipper could see some features of a kitchen. To his right was a set of closets and the stairs.

"Hey," Lydia said awkwardly. "So… Mom, Dad… this is Dipper."

Her mother set the book down and stood, walking over to the two. She extended her hand and shook Dipper's hand, issuing a hello. From the couch, her father gave a greeting. Her mother shot him a dirty look before looking back at Dipper and Lydia.

"I thought you kids had a full schedule today?" Her mom questioned.

Lydia shrugged, "It took less time that I thought… so I thought we'd come back here and watch a movie or two before dinner?"

"In your room?" Her mom questioned. "I assume."

"I mean, I don't think dad wants to give up the couch. He looks pretty comfortable."

"David?"

"I trust Lydia," Her dad said calmly. "Door cracked."

Her mom glanced back at the two, "Okay. Door cracked. Nick will be here in a few hours- and Annie will be home from her friends. We're having pork chops for dinner, is that okay with you Dipper?"

"Absolutely," Dipper nodded. "It's my favorite, actually."

"Great," her mom smiled.

"Okay… well…," Lydia headed towards the stairs. "We're going to go now… so…"

"Door cracked!" Her mom exclaimed as they descended the stairs.

Once up the stairs and in Lydia's room, Dipper looked at Lydia and let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah," Lydia agreed. "So, this is my room."

The walls were a gray color. Her twin sized bed was pushed in a corner. The bed was half made; the sheets a dark lavender shade, the comforter a purple paisley design. Next to the bed was a white nightstand housing a purple lamp and a few books. Further down the wall, pressed in the other corner was a white desk. It was fairly messy, holding her laptop and a slay of papers. An overfilled hamper was between the desk and the nightstand, in front of a window covered with a curtain that matched the color of her sheets. A small purple rectangle rug lay center over the light tan carpet. Against the wall next to the door was a tall white dresser housing a small flat screen television on top. To the right of the dresser was a closet. There was a long bookshelf against the last wall, stuffed to the brim. The top of the shelf held a few trinkets. A full length mirror pressed against the wall, next to a window covered by purple curtains. The walls were almost bare, barring a framed picture next to her bed of the mountains.

Lydia closed the door almost all the way, then smiled at Dipper, "It's cracked, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, I mean, it's not closed."

Lydia kissed Dipper softly and quickly. It felt strange to have a boy in her room… even stranger to kiss him. She had kissed boys before. She'd done more than that, even. But never here, in her bedroom. Never with someone she really cared about. A 14 year old may think she's in love with someone and steal kisses in the halls and under bleachers. A 15 year old may think exploring the body of her new boyfriend is thrilling, especially in his bedroom when his parents are out of town. A 16 year old might think that basketball player loves her back and lets him take her innocence in the back of his car. But here, in her bedroom, with Dipper. It was true.

Swiftly, Lydia twisted away and turned on her television. She booted up Netflix and quickly put on Evil Dead. It was waiting for her in her recently watched section. The familiar movie began playing and she turned to Dipper with her lips pressed and cocked into a smile. She rubbed her hands together nervously then fiddled with her shirt. Dipper rocked on his heels. The two had never been alone together in a private, non-life threatening situation. Neither was sure what to do. Lydia slipped off her shoes and motioned for Dipper to do the same, then she sat on her bed. He followed suit.

Lydia scooted back and rested in the corner of the bed. Dipper rested on the edge, unsure of what to do.

"You don't have to sit so far away," Lydia said quietly.

Dipper scooted back next to her and she rested her head on his shoulder. They watched the first portion of the movie like that, silently resting on one another. Halfway through the movie, Lydia adjusted and rested her head on lap. Dipper watched as her shirt inched up, exposing a patch of skin above her shorts. He carefully and slowly moved to rest his hand on her buttock. A few minutes later Lydia could feel his member twitching under her, sending hot shocks down her belly. They lay like that, Dipper's erection pressed against Lydia, for minutes that felt like years. The fire stirred inside both of them, building, until finally… Lydia sat upright. She looked at Dipper for a beat before sliding on top of him, her legs clenching either side of him to hold him down. Their lips met ferociously. His hands inched under the back of her shirt. Her skin was milky smooth and warm, fueling the fire in his body. Lydia rocked against his pressing member. She couldn't help herself, especially when Dipper's hands snaked around the front of her body and cupped her breasts. Excitement surged in both of them as he pressed her bra down and rubbed her hard nipples. In a swift movement he nudged her off his lap and onto her back. He cloaked her body with his, attaching their lips again. He pressed against her hard.

"Dipper," Lydia breathed with a gasp. "We can't… not here."

He sighed and scooted off of her, lying by her side. He had almost forgotten they were at her parents' house with the door opened. Almost. Their presence had only made the encounter more exciting.

"You're right," he agreed, unexpected disappointment lacing his words.

Lydia sat up and adjusted her shirt, then flattened her hair. She uncurled her legs and climbed out of the bed, wobbling slightly as she padded over to the mirror. She checked herself over, presenting a few additional pats, then turned to Dipper with a smile. He rolled on his side and smiled back. She sat down in her desk chair.

"That was um," Lydia giggled. "Intense."

"Yeah," Dipper sat up and crossed his legs. "So…"

There was a knock at the door and then it creaked open. Nick peaked his head in first then pulled his body in. He leaned against the door frame.

"Sup," He gave a half wave to Dipper. "I'm Nick."

"Uh, hey," Dipper returned.

"What do you want?" Lydia questioned.

"Just wanted to say 'hi', jeeze," Nick defended. "Mom's working on dinner. Also, it smells like sex in here, so you might want to fix that."

Both Lydia and Dipper blushed as Nick shut the door. With the click of the door, the two both erupted in laughter. Lydia stood up and opened a window, then walked to her closet and opened it. She stood on her tip toes and grabbed a bottle of Febreeze, sprayed it around the room, and then put it back. She sat next to Dipper on the bed. The movie the two had long forgotten about was over, the credits rolling. They let the screen roll until there was nothing left. Lydia stood back up to grab the remote. She surfed Netflix for a minute before putting an old Batman movie on. Her face lit up and she let out an 'oh!' before shuffling over to her desk. She flung open a drawer, shuffled around, then pulled out a white sleeve. She smiled at it, then handed it over to Dipper.

"I um," She was hesitant, almost embarrassed. "I made you a mixed tape. I know you've got a long drive home, and I want you to have something to remember me by."

Dipper smiled and pulled her down into a kiss, "Thank you, Lydia. I'm sure it'll make the drive more bearable."

"I know you have to leave like, right after dinner, so I wanted to give it to you now while we're alone," Lydia said as she settled onto the bed again.

Dipper scooted to grab his bag, sliding the CD in the front pouch. He inched back, kissed Lydia again, and the two settled against one another and watched the movie. Not a half hour into the film Lydia heard her name being called, followed by 'Dinner's ready!'. Lydia turned the TV off and the two descended down the stairs. Dipper followed Lydia down the hall he'd seen earlier. On one side was an open door revealing a bathroom. There was what seemed like a hall closet, and then the room opened up into a large kitchen and dining room area.

The kitchen was new and clean. The walls were a light tan color. The cabinets were a rich cherry wood; the countertops a sleep black granite speckled with shades of brown. There was an island that stuck out off the wall. The appliances were all stainless steel and shiny. Across the room was a large oak table under a beautiful chandelier. Behind the table was another door leading to an unknown location, maybe a basement.

At the table sat Annie, Nick, and Lydia's father. Her mother was across the room in the kitchen, shuffling a pan off the counter and over to the table. Lydia beckoned Dipper to follow her over to her family. They took seats around the table. Lydia introduced Dipper to her sister, the only person left in her family who hadn't met him. Dinner was plated and served; a meal of pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans and salad. Dipper endured the slew of questions set forth by Lydia's family.

_So, you run a tourist shop? What exactly is it? You have a twin? What kind of jobs do your parents have? Are you going to college? How do you feel about Lydia going to school in Seattle? Don't you think this is too far of a drive? So you like paranormal stuff? Is it true you saw Bigfoot? Why is your name Dipper? Oh wow, is that a real birth mark? _

An hour later, Lydia thought Dipper's mouth was going to fall off from talking. He had certainly won Nick over with his stories. Her parents seemed to enjoy him, and Annie was indifferent as always. Even after the food was gone they sat talking. However, the daylight was gone and Dipper had a long drive home. He had almost been awake 24 hours- a long 24 hours. Lydia helped wrap up the evening and followed Dipper up the stairs to retrieve his shoes and bag. Once in the bedroom Lydia raised an eyebrow at him.

"So? That went well, you think?" She questioned.

"I think so," Dipper nodded with his lips pressed.

"I don't want you to go," Lydia said, changing the tone in the room, as she pressed against his body.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled like jasmine.

"I have to, I'm sorry," He muttered into her hair. "We'll see each other soon. I promise."

"When?" Lydia pressed.

"Soon."

She looked up, only to receive a kiss from her boyfriend. A slow, gentle kiss of passion that calmed Lydia. It was a quick reassurance, furthered by a peck to the forehead. Dipper slipped his shoes on, grabbed his bag, and kissed Lydia again. And again. And again.

"I'm sorry," He spoke against her cheek. "I have to go."

"I know," Lydia responded, barely audible. "It just isn't fair."

"Don't stay up waiting for me to get home, you have to work tomorrow. You need rest."

"I can't make promises."

They kissed again and then headed back downstairs. In the kitchen Lydia's family was cleaning up from dinner. Dipper bid them goodbye, then Lydia helped him out the door. Once he was in his car they kissed again. Lydia was desperate to remember how his lips tasted. She feared never seeing him again, never getting to feel his hands on her body. A thousand promises and stolen kisses later, as well as one sorrowful goodbye, Dipper was down the road and Lydia was alone once again.


	8. Chapter 8

Three long weeks had passed since Dipper visited. Conflicting schedules and the long drive had kept him from returning, and Lydia's parents weren't convinced on letting her drive to Gravity Falls just yet. So the two were confined to Skype calls and texting. While Lydia craved him next to her, she tried to keep busy by picking up extra shifts at work. Dipper worked a lot, and he couldn't always text her while at the Shop or giving tours. Keeping herself busy, and stuffing her bank account, was a good way to pass the time. When she wasn't working or attached to her phone, she liked to explore the woods and hike. It was refreshing, a good break from the hustle and bustle of life.

The afternoon was breezy, perfect for a hike. Lydia sent Dipper a text letting him know she was headed out into the wilderness. She grabbed her bag, already stocked with trail mix and water, then laced up her boots. She let her sister know she was leaving, and then headed to the outskirts of the town. Lydia had hiked most of the trails in Astoria, knowing them like the back of her hand. Every now and then she'd wander off the path and explore on her own. But this particular day she wanted to see the waterfall at the peak of Travis Creek Falls. She enjoyed Travis Creek because it was a quick hike, taking a few minutes shy of two hours to the top. It wasn't frequented often due to its location a few miles outside of town near the coast.

Lydia locked up her car and followed the signs into the woods. The luscious greenery swallowed her. Her soul calmed with each step. It wasn't long before the sounds of the forest were all she heard. The quiet wasn't unsettling. She enjoyed only hearing her boots occasionally snap a branch, the singing of the birds and the chatter of the squirrels. Some liked to hike with headphones in, but Lydia didn't see the point. She hiked because she loved nature. The relationship between woman and the outdoors was complex and beautiful. There was no need to add any unwanted technology.

Over the past year, Lydia had grown to watch out of the corners of her eyes. It helped her conquer her fear of being alone in the wilderness. On her way to the top of Travis Creek she experienced quite a few deer, trying to sneak around her loud steps. Every now and then she caught a blur that seemed too large to be a deer, but she shrugged it off. She didn't let the trees play tricks on her. After an hour and a half, Lydia reached the long suspension bridge that signaled the waterfall was near. She frowned as she crossed, steadily walking on the flat planks. The bridge was well kept and safe, but it was always unsettling for her. She couldn't help but think of all the movies where the planks would snap and the unsuspecting victim would fall to their death. Once on the other side she always felt like kissing the ground. She refrained and pressed forward.

The soothing sound of the water began to ring in her ears, and Lydia grinned, running forward up the slope. The rushing water was louder… louder… and then in front of her. The stunning scene carved into the side of the mountain was always so surreal. The mossy rocks surrounded the waterfall, only a few stories high. The clear pool at the bottom of the waterfall was shaped like a jelly bean. The color was so blue it was like a painting. There was a clearing surrounding the oasis. The grass was well kept, a snack for the surrounding wildlife. However small Travis Creek Falls was, it was enough for anyone who gazed upon it. Lydia swung her bag around and pulled out her cell phone. She didn't get any reception on top of the Falls, but she wanted to capture a picture to send to Dipper. After snapping a few shots she shoved her phone away and walked closer into the clearing. She found a patch of grass near the waterfall that had been spared from the fall's spray.

She leaned back and closed her eyes, letting herself get fully engulfed by the smell and sounds of the fall. She used her lumpy backpack as a makeshift pillow and let herself get lost in her thoughts. Sometimes, the scariest part of being alone in the woods was being alone with your thoughts. No distractions, just silence. Just a conversation with yourself. These conversations left Lydia in tears when she first started hiking. She'd kick the ground, scream as loud as she could. She'd strip naked and jump in the water, seeing how long she could hold her breath. It was therapy. As the months progressed, her therapy was less violent. She'd lie on the ground and weep from happiness and sadness. And then she'd just lie on the ground… content.

Lydia's thoughts automatically directed towards Dipper. Her heart fluttered. Just his name was enough to make her love sick. She just felt warm when she talked to him. She couldn't keep herself from smiling when he came up in conversation or when she saw he texted her. She hated not getting to see him every day. Both of them knew going into the relationship it would be long distance, but they had fallen hard and the distance was strenuous on their hearts.

She shivered at the thought of his kisses… his hands on her body. The memories of the afternoon in her bedroom flooded her brain, as they did every night. When she thought of his erection pressing through his jeans near her head, her body heated. She thought of the way he kissed her while she straddled him, grinding against his rock hard member… the way his hands cupped her bottom and slinked around to her breasts, tweaking her nipples. The warmth in her shorts was too much, and her hand crept down to unbutton them and slip inside. Her fingers were familiar as the inched below the band of her underwear and onto her clit.

With a little pressure and small circles, she pleasured herself to the thought of Dipper. She had her eyes squeezed shut and let her imagination run free. What would have happened if her parents weren't home? What would they have done? She knew Dipper was close to throwing caution to the wind when he flipped her onto her back. What if she hadn't stopped him? She imagined her fingers were his, eagerly searching for an orgasm in her shorts. He would've taken her shirt off, unhooked her bra, and massaged her breasts with his mouth. He would've taken her to the edge and stopped, only to remove his own clothes. Lydia had never seen what lie beneath his clothes. She wondered if his chest was freckled, hairy, or smooth. Whatever was under his shirt turned her on. Her imagination traveled to below the belt. She had felt his cock through his shorts, even had it against her own throbbing sex (granted they were separated by layers of clothes). It didn't feel exceptionally large, but it defiantly wasn't small. The way it pressed against her head left her believing it had a decent amount of girth to it. She wanted to wrap her mouth around the imaginary cock, but Dipper didn't give her a chance. Once he was undressed he used his saliva to lubricate his member and then slid it into Lydia's tight vagina. She imagined his handsome face twisting and contorting with each pump. She wiggled on the ground, moans passing through her lips, startling the silence of the oasis. Harder, faster. As her fingers moved quicker and more urgently, so did the Dipper in her mind. They were close to the edge. Almost there. The thought of Dipper cumming was enough to make Lydia arch into an orgasm, her body spasaming in the grass.

She imagined Dipper lying next to her, but when she opened her eyes after a few deep breaths, she was met with nothing but the loneliness of the wilderness. With a heavy sigh, she looked to both her left and right, only to be met with an empty shadow. She slid her hand out of her shorts and rolled over a few times to the water where she dunked her hand in, removing the sticky traces of her rendezvous from her fingers. She rolled back to her spot and with a 'humph' and let out another sigh, this one more agitated. There was a shameful silence in the air. She almost felt like she had taken the innocence of Travis Creek Falls. Buttoning her shorts and pushing herself into a standing position, she convinced herself worse has been done there. She checked her watch. Almost three hours have passed since she started her hike, meaning it was time for her to head back down. She hadn't particularly told her parents where she was going, and she didn't want a search party to come after her.

She began to trek down out of the clearing when something caught the corner of her eye. Pausing, she looked around in the trees. Seeing nothing, she started walking again. Her way down the trail, Lydia walked a little faster than normal. She was eager to get out of the woods. Her eyes were playing tricks on her, she told herself, as she saw more blurs out of the corner of her eyes. She reached the suspension bridge and the air in her throat caught. Taking a deep breath, she almost sprinted across the shaky structure, her hands zipping along the rope. Once on the other side she let out a gasping breath and turned to look across the bridge. Time paused for a brief second as she made out the figure that had been stalking her through the trees. It appeared to be a human bull hybrid. Two yellowed horns stuck out from the side of its head. Around the beastly face was reddish hair that appeared to be shaped into a beard. Around its waist was a white cloth, dirtied from the ground and the trees. The hairy brown beast, upon being sighted, fell from two legs to four and sprinted back into the woods.

At once, all of Lydia's senses crashed down upon her. Her eyes, big as saucers, darted around her surroundings- almost as if in survival mode- before she began jogging down the trail. She tried to pace herself as she headed down the hill. The trees seemed to be closing in on her. The branches were sharper, nicking her legs as she ran. Though going fast, Lydia tried to remember where she was on the trail to assess her time. Everything became a blur. She hoped she was going in the right direction. She had picked up speed as she descended Travis Creek. While she had skipped over most of her obstacles, she had missed a rock in front of her. Lydia tripped. Her stumble turned into a fall and she slid down the trail. She could feel each jab and poke, the scrapes from the ground. Her bag had gotten caught and began to tug on her arms. As she struggled to stop her sliding, she held onto the bad, determined to either lose her arms or slow herself down. She lost momentum. Stillness. Silence. It was all shattered when Lydia began to sob.

She stood up looked down at her dirty, tattered clothes and her bloody legs. Her arms had also taken some damage. She couldn't tell what was a bruise forming or dirt. She grabbed her bag, wiggling it off of the stick and finally could look around her. She let out a sob of relief. The trees were opening up; she could see daylight ahead of her, bursting at the end of the forestry. Mustering up all her strength she stumbled down the path and out into the bright sun. Gasping, as if she had just emerged from the depths of the ocean, she hobbled across the gravel clearing for vehicles. She fumbled with her bag, pulling out her phone and her keys. She still had no reception. She shoved her phone in her pocket and frantically unlocked her car in the dead quiet wilderness. Once inside, she wasted no time peeling out of the makeshift parking lot. She held her phone in one hand, waiting to see that she was within society's reach, while she drove like a maniac down the winding curves. Once her phone indicated she had a signal, she swerved off the road, skidding to a halt on the road's barrier. She dialed Dipper's number quickly, her dirty fingers smudging the glass screen.

The pause between the rings felt like an eternity. The call went to voicemail. She heard his familiar voice, apologizing for not answering. She ended the call and then redialed. Again, the rings were long and torturous. And then:

"Lydia? I can't really talk right now-"

"Dipper," She cried. "I don't know what happened. I'm really afraid, and I'm bleeding and-"

"Whoa!" He cut her off, his voice laced with concern. "Calm down. Hey, hey, hey! Sweetheart, breathe. Are you okay? What happened? – Soos, cover this, okay? I have to take this call – Lydia? Stop crying for a second, I need you to tell me what happened."

"I don't know," She wept. "I went hiking and then I kept feeling like something was there, watching me. I thought it was just the trees tricking me but then I saw it, Dipper."

"What was it?" He questioned, both concerned and intrigued.

"It was this thing," She hyperventilated. "It was like half human half… bull, something, I don't know. It was following me- watching me."

"A manataur?" He questioned, his voice almost comical. "It's okay, sweetie. I've done studies and observations on them multiple times. We have them in Gravity Falls. I've never heard of them anywhere else though, do you think you could take-"

"I don't know what the fuck that is, Dipper, and no I won't fucking take you to see them for your blog" She shouted, angrily. "Don't tell me it's okay. You weren't there. You didn't see the way it was looking at me… and it was watching me."

"Harmless-"

"I MASTURBATED, DIPPER," She screamed, her cheeks red. "IT WAS WATCHING ME."

Dipper couldn't stifle his laughter on the other end. He erupted in a fit of chuckles, "You're kidding me, right? That's hilarious-"

"Fuck you," Lydia hissed. "It chased me, and I fell down the hiking trail. I'm dirty, bleeding, and an emotional mess and you're laughing at me."

"I don't mean to," Dipper said on the other line, though Lydia could hear the smile in his voice.

"Fuck you," She half cried, half yelled into the phone. She hung up, angrily throwing the smartphone in her passenger seat.

She wasn't sure whether to be angry or upset. Whatever the case, she ripped her car off the side of the road and sped home. Beside her, she could see her phone light up as Dipper attempted to call her multiple times. It lit up with text messages and voicemails. She ignored them all and jerked her beat up car down the familiar roads to her house. She threw her car into park in the driveway and stormed up to her house. Her body was sore, and she couldn't help but walk with a slight limp. She braced herself and unlocked her front door.

"Lydia! Oh my god, are you okay?" Her mom gasped, tearful, jumping off the couch. "What happened? Come here- do I have to take you to the hospital?"

Lydia wobbled over and braced herself against the sofa. Her dad, who was on the computer, turned and stood. Her parents faces were riddled with concern as the surrounded her. Her mom, a nurse, immediately began assessing her body. Lydia winced as she poked.

"I fell down Travis Creek," Lydia said softly, trying not to cry. "It was bad- I don't know how far I skidded."

"I told you I didn't like you hiking by yourself," Her father said sternly, though he meant it with love.

Her mother had dropped into a squatting position and gingerly examined her legs, "These are deep. You're bruising already."

"I'm sorry," Lydia sniffled, tears trickling down her face.

"Sweetie," Her mother stood back up and immediately wrapped her arms around Lydia. "Don't apologize. You'll be okay. As much as I want to take you to the hospital, you don't need stitches."

"Are you sure?" Her father questioned, "That gash concerns me."

"I'm sure, David," Her mother almost hissed. "I've been a nurse for how long?"

"I'm not questioning that, I'm just saying-"

"Stop," Lydia yelled.

Her parents looked at her and their faces softened.

"You need to take a shower and change into some comfortable jammies," Her mother stressed. "Can you walk up the stairs?"

"I can help you," Her dad offered.

"No, I'm fine. I can do it."

"Take a hot shower and get in bed. When you're in there, clean your wounds really well, okay? Or else I'll have to do it. I will bring you up some medicine, and I'll have to dress your wounds."

"Okay," Lydia said without a fight.

She could feel her parent's eyes on her as she drug her bag across the floor and up the stairs. She winced with every step, but tried not to convey her pain. She threw her bag into her bedroom and went into the bathroom, stripping her ripped clothes. They lay in a dirty pile on the floor. It was funny, seeing the contrast of the grubby garments against the clean and sparkling tan tiles of the bathroom floor. She turned the shower on as hot as it went and stepped in. The water burned her skin. She watched the floor of the tub until the water ran clear before she lathered up her loofa and lightly scrubbed her body, wincing at the pressure against her bruises. The pain intensified as she tried to clean her legs. Up close she could see how nasty the wound on her left leg was; it was jagged and deep, stretching from her knee half way down her calf. Her legs were riddled with smaller nicks and rug-burn type scrapes. She cleaned herself the best she could and toweled off, then padded out slowly into her bedroom. She grabbed an old t-shirt displaying her old high school's name and logo, sliding it gingerly over her head. Rummaging through her drawers, she found her favorite bunny pajama bottoms. She climbed in bed and waited for her mother.

On cue, minutes later there was a gentle knock and then her door opened. Carrying a tray full of bottles and bandages, Lydia thought her mother looked like she was entering a warzone. The corners of her mouth curled into a weak smile. Her mom camped out on the corner of her bed, questioning her on her wellbeing as she prepped a towel with peroxide. She pulled back the covers and rolled Lydia's pant legs up, dabbing the wounds. Lydia winced as the alcohol fizzled. Her mom proceeded to rub ointment on all the open wounds and scrapes. She wrapped them with the gentle care and experience of a veteran nurse. The cuts on Lydia's arms weren't deep enough to warrant ointment and bandages. Her arms had withstood mostly a rough beating. Her mom cleaned the few scrapes and then handed Lydia two oblong red pills and pushed the glass of ice water in her direction. She learned at a young age to just accept whatever pill her mom handed her. Lydia washed the pills down as her mom unrolled her pants and tucked her into bed. She took the half full water glass and set it on her nightstand, then kissed Lydia's forehead.

"You need to rest. Are you sure you said your head didn't hurt? If you have a concussion you can't go to sleep."

"I know mom," Lydia sighed. "My head's fine. I'm just sore and tired."

"Then rest. I'll put dinner in the microwave for you."

"I work tomorrow," Lydia remembered, frowning.

"Don't worry about it, okay?" Her mother reassured. She spotted Lydia's phone haphazardly dangling from her bag. She reached down and grabbed it, then placed it next to her daughter on the bed. "Here. So you can text me if you need something… or text Dipper. Whatever you need, okay?"

"Okay, mom, but I think I'm just going to sleep for a little bit."

Her mom smiled softly and nodded. She pulled the curtains in Lydia's room shut, automatically darkening the room. On her way out she turned the light off and shut the door quietly. Lydia closed her eyes, the darkness of the room was too inviting and she was beyond exhausted- mentally and physically. She had planned on leaving her phone in her bag. She didn't want to deal with what was waiting for her. The curiosity got to her, however, and her eyes peeped open. She slid her phone unlocked, squinting at the bright light.

11 missed calls. 7 voicemails. 24 unread text messages.

Lydia sighed as she scrolled through the text messages from Dipper. They ranged from concern to anger. She clicked her phone off and closed her eyes again. She didn't want to deal with the mess. She was furious with Dipper. He had laughed at her when all she wanted was his compassion. Her phone vibrated in her hand, lighting up her room. She pulled it to her face.

** Dipper**

I'm sorry, okay? You don't have to answer my calls or talk to me ever again or accept my apology or whatever. I care about you so damn much, Lydia. I just want to know you're okay. I swear if I don't hear from you within ten minutes I'm driving over.

Lydia hesitated for long moment before texting back.

**Lydia**

I'm home. My mom patched me up. I don't need stiches, I'm just bruised and cut up. I'm going to go to sleep now. I'll talk to you later.

**Lydia**

Maybe.

**Dipper**

Okay. Thank you. I'm glad you're okay.

Lydia turned her phone on silent and placed it face down on her nightstand. She hated sleeping on her back, but after attempting to adjust her position, she found that her back was the only comfortable lying position. She found herself becoming increasingly more tired. She didn't fight it as her eyelids glued shut.

When she woke, slivers of daylight filtered through her window. Lydia imagined that her shooting headache and body aches were similar to that of a hangover. Groaning, she stuck her arm out and pulled her phone to her. Her eyes adjusted to the light quickly and then widened with concern when she noted the time read '10:37'. She cursed and yelled out for her mother instinctually. Her voice was hoarse and barely carried it's weight. However, a few moments later the door opened and her mother popped inside.

"Good morning," she greeted with a warm smile. "Feel better? You slept for 16 hours."

"Work," Lydia said frantically.

"I called and told them you were in an accident and needed at least 3 days off. I've got a note for you when you go back; don't worry."

"I can't take 3 days off."

"You won't be able to walk well enough to work. It's fine, Li-Li," She promised, using a pet name from Lydia's childhood.

Lydia groaned and leaned her head back into her pillow, "This is dumb."

Her mom let out a stifled laugh, "At least you're back to your old self."

"I'm starving," Lydia announced, following a rumble in her stomach.

"Come downstairs. I'll make you whatever you want. I took the next few days off of work so I can be here with you. And there's a surprise for you."

Surprise? Lydia perked up. She slid out of bed slowly, her body aching with every movement. She was careful of her bruises and bandages as he stood up, grabbing her phone from beside her bed. She followed her mother out of her room and carefully padded down the steps to see what was waiting for her…


	9. Chapter 9

Lydia wasn't sure what was waiting for her downstairs. She crept slowly, both nervous and sore. Her breath caught in her throat. Had Dipper drove through the night to see her? Was he waiting for her? She allowed herself a little smile at the scenario in her head. When she had enough clearance to see the living room, her smile faded. It was empty. The muted television was the only movement in the room. Disappointed, she dropped her head and engaged in a zombie walk across the living room, plopping down on the couch despite the wincing pain it caused. She pulled the fuzzy dark green throw blanket resting on the back of the couch onto her lap and nuzzled into the sofa.

Suddenly, her mother reappeared in the room. She hadn't even known she disappeared, but with her reappearance she was carrying two large items in either hand. In one arm she cradled a wicker basket, stuffed to the brim with an assortment of her favorite candy. Her eyes scanned over the bags of Peanut M&M's, the Reese Cups and plethora of Twix Bars. Sticking out of the middle of the basket was a white envelope with her name printed on it. In the other arm was a floral bouquet in a vase. The bouquet featured a bundle of yellow daisies, a few pink roses and some greenery. The vase was wrapped in a pink ribbon. Her mother planted them on the coffee table with a small 'clunk'.

"What's this?" Lydia asked.

"They were delivered this morning," Her mom said with a hint of a smile. "From a Mr. Dipper Pines to Lydia Haddleback."

All her confused emotions and her fluctuating hormones caused Lydia to instantly start to cry. Her mom sat down next to her and rubbed her back in small circles, trying to calm her daughter.

"I was really mean to him yesterday," Lydia sniffled. "When I called him it was like he didn't even care what happened."

"Sweetie, I'm going to tell you something right now about men. They don't understand how to react to anything. They process things differently. I know, it's stupid. This is a circumstance that really makes me mad at him, so I'm sure you're even more upset and confused. But Dipper is a nice kid. He makes you happy. Be mad at him as long as you want but just remember how special he is to you."

Lydia awkwardly shifted, "I know."

"I'm angry with him for hurting you, but you two are just figuring out how to be in relationships. Don't be too hard on him."

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. Lydia had always pushed her mother away when she tried to talk to her heart to heart, especially over the last year. She was at that weird stage between being a kid and being an adult, and she was just realizing how hard it was growing up.

"Will you make me chocolate chip pancakes?" Lydia finally questioned, breaking the silence.

Her mom stood up and smoothed her shirt down, then after a long beat, nodded and said, "Sure thing."

Lydia waited until her mom was in the kitchen to scoot to the edge of the couch. She touched the flowers wistfully. The softness of the petals was almost startling. Yellow daises were her favorite flower. She tried to think to back if she ever told Dipper she liked them or if it was just a coincidence. She reached over to the candy basket and grabbed the card. It wasn't Dipper's handwriting on the front. She didn't expect it to be, but up close the girly swirls were off putting. She opened the envelope, pulling out a cheesy looking card featuring a bear holding balloons and bold text saying 'Get Well Soon'. She opened it up to see a message typed onto the card.

_Lydia, I am sorry I reacted the way I did yesterday. I know these won't make up for what I said, but hopefully they'll help you feel better. I care about you so much. It's been miserable not being with you these past few weeks. It's weird saying this through a greeting card, so call me when you get these, please. _

_Much love- Dipper_

She looked at her phone for the first time, only to be surprised by no messages or calls waiting for her. Her heart sunk. She didn't know what she expected. Maybe a hundred more missed calls and a thousand unread text messages. Lydia stood up, slightly wobbling as she padded into the kitchen. Her mother, who was stirring a batter, looked over with furrowed eyebrows.

"Everything okay?"

Lydia nodded and extended her arm towards the sliding glass doors leading to their porch, "I'm going to call Dipper real quick."

"Okay. Don't stay out there too long, you need to rest or your legs won't heal up."

"I'm fine, mom," Lydia almost rolled her eyes as she left the kitchen, closing the door securely behind her. She walked over to the steps and lowered herself down so she was sitting on the top one. The patio chairs were too close to the house, and she didn't want her mom to hear her conversation.

Dipper picked up after the first ring.

"Lydia," He said, almost breathlessly. Her name sounded so good coming from his mouth.

"Hey," She replied, unsure of what else to say.

"How are you feeling?" He questioned.

"Sore," She admitted. "But I basically hibernated, so I feel better. I'm not gushing blood from my legs, so that's a good thing."

"I was worried about you, especially when you didn't answer my calls."

"Were you really?" Lydia was sarcastic and bitter.

"Don't do this," Dipper pressed, the tone of his voice changing instantly. "I apologized. What more do you want me to do?"

"I'm not 'doing' anything," Lydia hissed. "You really hurt my feelings, Dipper. You made me feel like a joke- like you didn't care."

"I apologized. I can't go back and change what I said or how I reacted. I'm sorry."

There was a long silence. Dipper wondered if she had hung up on him. He pulled his phone away from his head to make sure they were still connected. And just when he was about to angrily shout her name into the phone, he heard muffled sniffles.

"I just," She sighed, her voice murky with tears. "The past few weeks have been really hard. I just want to be able to hold your hand and kiss you. I want to be able to watch movies with you next to me instead of watching them together while we're on the phone. I miss you. I miss everything about you. And when you acted like that… it was confusing and upsetting and it hurt."

"Hey," Dipper said softly, his warm and loving tone back. "It'll be okay, I promise. Did you talk to your parents about coming to see me next weekend? If they don't want you driving I will come to you. Don't think this isn't miserable for me, either. I… I really like you, Lydia. I was a mess last night."

"Good. You deserved to be upset."

"I know," Dipper's mouth twitched into a slight smile. "So do you forgive me?"

"… only because you're cute and you sent me candy and flowers."

Dipper beamed, "You got them? Are the daisies nice? I remember you said you loved yellow daisies."

"Yeah, I got them," Lydia smiled into the phone. "They're beautiful."

"Perfect. So I was thinking that I would-"

The back door slid open and Lydia's mom peaked her head out, calling her name.

"Hold on a second," Lydia cut Dipper off. "Yeah?"

"Your pancakes are ready. You better come eat them before they get cold."

Lydia returned her attention to the phone, "Hey, I've got to go. Mom made me some chocolate chip pancakes. I'll text you though, okay?"

"The shop isn't too busy today so we should be able to talk. Don't forget to ask your mom about next weekend, okay?"

"Okay. I'll talk to you soon."

The two shared a goodbye and Lydia struggled to pull herself up. Once regaining her balance, she crept back into the house. When she didn't see her mom in the kitchen, she walked into the living room. On the coffee table was a tall stack of chocolate chip pancakes, topped with melting whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Lydia's eyes bulged out of her head and she eagerly wobbled over to the couch. Her mom was curled up on the opposite end, surfing the television for something to watch.

"Thank you for these," Lydia said as she curled up, adjusting her position to accommodate the plate of pancakes.

"It's my job, don't thank me."

A domestic calmness settled over the two as her mom finally stopped flipping through the channels and settled on a reality TV show and Lydia tried her best not to scarf down her pancakes too quickly. She drifted in and out of the show on TV and her pancakes. After nearly licking the remaining syrup off the plate, she clunked her plate down on the coffee table and cozied back up in couch. She settled back into the calmness of the room as she texted Dipper. Seeing his name pop up on her screen always put a smile on her face.

"So… I know you said you weren't comfortable with me driving to Gravity Falls, but do you trust me enough to go next weekend?"

Her mom looked over, an almost annoyed look on her face, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?" Lydia whined. "I haven't seen Dipper in almost a month, and it isn't THAT far of a drive."

"You knew it would be a long distance relationship, sweetie."

"If you let me drive anywhere farther than 30 minutes outside town, it wouldn't have to be such a long distance relationship. I'm a good driver, you know that."

"Lydia, it isn't that you aren't a good driver-"

"It's that you don't trust the other cars, I know," Lydia recited.

"Your attitude isn't helping your case."

"Please," Lydia didn't ask, she stated, looking her mother in the eyes. "Especially after yesterday, please."

"That's a good reason why I shouldn't let you go. You're not in a condition to drive."

"You said I'll be fine in a few days. Next weekend is a long time from now."

"If you don't feel better by then, I'm not letting you go. That's my only condition," Her mom finally said, and Lydia let out an excited rush of breath.

"Really? Oh my god, yes!" She squealed. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't get too excited," Her mom said, though she couldn't help but smile seeing her daughter."

Lydia was quick to text Dipper, who shared in her excitement. The two texted casually while Lydia stretched out on the couch. Between her comfort and the aches that were growing in her body again, she was quick to drift off again. She woke up to the front door slamming. Startled awake and nearly falling off the couch, Lydia jolted awake to see Annie, looking over like a deer caught in the headlights. She mouthed a 'sorry' before jogging up the stairs. With a huff, Lydia relaxed back into the couch. She dug around for her phone, which was pressed against her stomach, and peeled it away. After sending Dipper a text she scrolled through her notifications. She had a message from her school. With her eyebrows raised, Lydia opened the email, quickly scanning it. The email notified her that her roommate placement was ready. Her stomach churned- she'd been dreading the email all summer. Not seeing her mom anywhere in sight and needing her laptop to fully read the email and find her roommate on Facebook, Lydia hobbled up stairs. She eased down on her bed with her cold laptop and logged on to see the email again.

When Lydia decided to go to Washington State, she begged her parents to let her get a single dorm. She gave a full speech on how she was damaged from having friendships and there was no way she could live with another person in such a small space. Her mom told her it would be good for her to be around another person, and her dad entertained the idea until he saw it would be an additional $1,800 a semester that he would have to pay out of pocket. The situation was almost a deal breaker for Lydia. She told herself she'd just stay at her dead end fast food job for the rest of her life to avoid living with a stranger who could end up being just as bad as her high school friends. But some inspirational quotes and a pep-talk to herself about being better than all who put her down led her back to school. She kept reminding herself she used to be a social person. She could manage living with a stranger.

Michelle Cardy from Grandview, Washington. The girl's school account didn't reveal much more, other than that she was a nursing student. Lydia groveled as she opened up Facebook. She was shocked to see she already had a friend request and a message waiting for her from Michelle. She first read the message- a quick, "Hey! I'm Michelle- I'm pretty sure we're going to be roommates this year at school. Can't wait to meet you!". Lydia typed a friendly response back and went to the girl's page.

Her new roommate was a plump brunette with pin straight hair and side swept bangs that outlined her big eyes and full lips. Her brown eyes were framed in a pair of purple glasses, which she pulled off flawlessly. In her profile picture she stood in her cap and gown in front of what Lydia assumed was her high school. Scrolling through the girls photos, Lydia could see she was involved in theater and in school academic clubs. Clicking back to her main profile, it was revealed that she worked at an ice cream shop. She was single, and her birthday was in November. _A Sagittarius_, Lydia thought to herself, _that reveals a lot… _A notification interrupted her. It was another message from Michelle.

**For sure! So what do you have for the dorm? I'm bringing a mini fridge, a microwave, a TV and a bunch of other stuff, but I'm okay with sharing the big stuff. Oh! And I got a Keurig for graduation for all the late nights : ). And what's your color scheme for your stuff? Purple is my favorite color so my bedding is this really cool purple floral design. I'm kinda crazy about coordination and matching, so I didn't know if we'd be okay with our colors. Anyhow! Here's my number so you can keep me updated. Talk soon! **

Lydia blinked at the screen. Michelle was… already a handful. At least she wasn't a ditzy party girl. Maybe that would've been better than an obsessive organized crazy nursing student. Lydia messaged her back letting her know she'd bring her own fridge and TV, and that she hadn't gotten her bedding yet but would be sure to get something that would match the purple. She quickly closed her laptop before she got another unsolicited email from her future roommate.

The week progressed both slowly and quickly, a sensation that always puzzled Lydia. Her aches and pains went away and her wounds began turning from a rich purple to a muddy hue of yellow and blue. She was still a little sore, but she went back to work as normal. She was surprised at the concern her coworkers showed her. It made her heart warm a little. Come Thursday, she was antsy and eager for the weekend… and to spring her new idea on her mother.

She approached her in the kitchen while she was making coffee. Lydia leaned against the counter.

"Hey!" She exclaimed. "So I was thinking. I only work until noon tomorrow. What if I leave for Dipper's after I get off and stay the weekend? That way we get to spend all of Saturday together. And I'd leave Sunday morning so I could be back her for our weekly dinner."

"Lydia," Her mom sighed. Lydia couldn't tell if she was irritated or upset. "Are you really asking me to stay at a boy's house over the weekend? Six hours away?"

"It makes sense, mom," Lydia explained. "I'd get there at 10 or 11 on Saturday and have to leave at like… 4 to get home at 10 at night."

"Exactly."

"… why I should stay the weekend," Lydia finished. "Seriously, mom. I'm 18 now! I'm going away to college soon. And I have never given you a reason not to trust me."

"Have you and Dipper had sex?" She asked bluntly.

"Mom!" Lydia blushed.

"Do you plan on it this weekend?" Her mom followed without missing a beat. "If you're an adult like you say, you'd be okay talking about this with me."

"No," Lydia stammered. "I don't know. That's not something you talk about with your mom."

"So you plan to?"

"I don't know!" Lydia exclaimed, her cheeks flushed bright red.

After a long pause, made even longer by the forced awkward feeling by Lydia, her mom let out a heavy sigh.

"You're right," She said. "You're 18. You're going to college soon, and I won't be there to push you in the right direction. This may not be something you talk about with your mom, but it's something you need to talk about with your mom. If you want to stay the weekend with Dipper, you are going to have to discuss this with me."

Lydia's stomach flipped. Was her mom really bribing her to talk about sex?

"Maybe," Lydia admitted. "I really like Dipper."

"I know you do. That's why we're talking- like adults- about this. I think we should go to the doctors next week and put you on birth control."

Lydia blushed even more, "Oh… okay."

"I trust you," Her mom said. "We just don't want you to mess your life. Being a parent is scary, Lydia. We teach you for 18 years how to be a decent person and then you get thrown into the world. We just have to hope that we did okay. Providing you with this will help you be a grown up."

"Okay…" Lydia was extremely confused and uncomfortable.

"Alright," Her mom said, almost proudly. "Glad we got that off our chest."

"Yeah," Lydia agreed, still confused. "So, this weekend?"

"I have to figure out how to convince your dad it's okay."

"So that's a yes?" Lydia's voice raised slightly at the end.

"It's a yes, Lydia," Her mom rolled her eyes.

Lydia jumped with excitement. The pain from her landing didn't even bother her- she was too full of happiness to notice. She hugged her mom and even kissed her cheek before running out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She had to tell Dipper the exciting news. Instead of a few hours with her boyfriend, she was getting an entire weekend.

A whole weekend with Dipper Pines.


	10. Chapter 10

_It's that ancient love that you won't outgrow. It's the fee you pay; it's the debt you owe. It's that subtle way that you throw me down. And I'm inches above the dust on the ground. I await your call. I await your crown. Let's change our roads and chase them all around. It's a subtle way that you throw me down. And I'm inches above the dust on the ground._

Lydia was nearly done with her voyage to Gravity Falls and on the 4th repeat of the mixed tape she had made for Dipper. The previous night she had burned a copy for herself for the drive. It looped once… then twice… and Lydia couldn't bring herself to turn the music to something else. She didn't mind. All the songs reminded her of Dipper. He was all she thought of on the drive. He was all she could think of to get her through the boring stretches of highway and pit stops at gas stations for coffee, snacks and fuel. It was Lydia's first time driving more than a couple miles outside of town to the next shopping mall or movie theater on her own. At first, it was liberating and at times it was horrifying, but Lydia was proud of herself for surviving thus far. Each stop she made at a gas station she made sure to send a text to her mom updating her. It was one of the conditions her father had made for the weekend. He wanted regular reports. It was the least Lydia could do.

She saw a road sign for The Mystery Shack and her stomach welled to her throat with pride and nerves. A few miles down the road was her exit for Gravity Falls. The white letters looked so harsh on the green sign. Following her GPS, Lydia was routed around the outskirts of the town. It was woodsy and dense. She could only see the rooftops of the houses as she turned from road to road. Dipper had told her the Shack was a few miles outside of town. She trusted the screen on her dash as she moved farther outside of the city limits. To her relief, she saw another sign for The Mystery Shack ahead. It featured a big white arrow, as Dipper had described to her, pointing left down a road. She followed it. The gravel turned to dirt and the trees opened up to reveal the Shack.

Lydia had seen a few pictures of the building, but in person, it felt more intimidating and alive. The log cabin-esque home was tall and stout. On the large roof were two massive plaques displaying the name of the Shack in thick red letters. Two additions were featured on the building. Jetting off from the house was a square addition, the gift shop as it read on the roof. On the other side of the gift shop was an attached brown pole barn. She knew from Dipper that this is where all the oddities and attractions were held in a museum type setting. It featured a flashing 'ENTRANCE' sign above the door. Sticking up from point of the roof was a large red question mark weather vane. The outdoor area was a dream. An old eagle totem pole that stretched taller than the house was erected to the left of the house. Flag garland and lights were draped from tree to tree outlining the perimeter of the property. Though it wasn't late, the shade from the trees made the lights twinkle. Dipper was standing there, waiting for her, amongst the lights.

Lydia was quick to park her car and jump out. As she pulled in, Dipper ran towards her car. He swept her up off her feet and spun her around, planting a mess of kisses on her face. Lydia laughed as he put her down.

"You're here," Dipper said breathlessly.

"I'm here," Lydia reiterated with a grin.

It was surreal to see her standing in front of him outside of his house. She had come straight from work, only stopping at home to shower and change. Her hair was in a tight bun at the top of her head. She was wearing a fitting black v-neck shirt and a pair of short red gym shorts, folded over at the top. He couldn't help but kiss her again. She broke away and looked at him with bright eyes.

"So I know we're both really happy to see each other, but I've got to pee really bad and I'm starving," She said sheepishly.

"Pizza?" Dipper asked as he grabbed her bag out of the backseat.

"Perfect-o," Lydia agreed as they walked up to the house.

"Well," Dipper announced opening up the front door to the house. "Welcome to my home, I guess."

"You talk with such conviction," Lydia joked.

The living room was boxy. The hardwood floors were in nice shape, the dark color standing out sharp against the rich red paint that covered all but one wall in the room, which featured wood paneling painted white. A fluffy but obviously old brown couch was pressed against the paneled wall. Next to it was a distressed looking lounge chair. A wooden coffee table sat between the couch and a small TV entertainment area. A red and tan patterned circular rug was in the middle of the room. Pressed flush against the arches that led into what appeared to be the kitchen on one side and an opening room for the stairs on the other was a bookshelf that reached from floor to ceiling, completely full of books. Lydia could spot that majority of the books were paranormal in nature. On the other side of the room was an old fireplace. The walls were relatively bare, with only an old framed map of Gravity Falls hanging above the couch.

"I'll just set your bags on the couch for now. I'll show you around after you go to the bathroom- which is over here," Dipper motioned Lydia to follow him through the right arch which led to an oddly placed foyer-type room.

The walls were all unpainted wood paneling. To the left were the stairs leading to the second floor, or what Dipper called the attic. There were three other doors in the room. The one to the bathroom was opened.

"I'm gonna order the pizza when you're in there. Pepperoni and mushrooms, right?" He asked.

"Yeah… ugh, I'm so hungry. I need it now."

Dipper was on his phone, typing, then raised the phone to his head "They're usually pretty quick."

Lydia went in the bathroom and gingerly closed the door behind her. The room was shockingly blue, especially when she flicked the lights on. The baby blue tile featured in the bathtub extended out onto the walls, encasing the room. The wall that the tub was nestled into also featured a large wooden built in cabinet. On the opposite side of the room was a sink, the base being the same wood. The top was the same tile that wrapped around the room, and the sink was a light blue scalloped design. Off-white linoleum lined the floor. A wooden medicine cabinet and a toilet finished off the room. While it wasn't the nicest thing she had ever seen, it was defiantly better than Dipper had made it out to be.

After doing her business, she emerged. Dipper was leaning against the wall scrolling through her phone. It reminded Lydia to text her parents. Her face lit up and she rushed into the living room to dig out her phone and send a quick text to her parents. When she turned around, Dipper was standing with his hand shoved in his pockets.

"Well… are you ready for a free, all access tour of the Mystery Shack from yours truly?" He grinned.

"But of course, Mr. Pines!" Lydia put on a fake accent. "I can't wait to see the mysteries of the world."

Dipper rolled his eyes and pulled her in for a kiss before beginning his tour around the house. He was nervous to show her around. He knew his house and the shack weren't perfect and they weren't nice, but they were his and he treasured it all. He led her over to one of the closed doors and opened it, revealing an empty room. He shrugged and explained it was Stan's old bedroom. After quickly shutting the door he opened the one next to it. The room was similar in size to Stan's, but it was packed with boxes and shelves of business papers and old stuff from the Shack. With a devilish grin, Dipper walked next to the stairs and tapped on the wood paneling, then pressed on the wall firmly. To Lydia's surprise, the wall began to rotate. With her mouth on the floor, she followed Dipper in to reveal what he called his secret room. The room was spacious for being hidden behind the wall. The floor featured a plush yellow shag rug that covered nearly all of the hardwood floors. A vintage green chair was nestled in the corner. There was a built in bookshelf, again filled with books of monsters and goblins. Next to the shelf was a pedestal featuring a locked box held within a glass shell. Dinner explained the box was screwed to the pedestal, and the pedestal to the ground. It featured the journals he had discovered when he first arrived in Gravity Falls- the journals that started it all. They were his prized possessions, and he treated them like such. They left the room and he secured the door tight, then they headed upstairs.

Up the stairs a narrow hallway appeared. The banister was shaky, and Dipper told Lydia he'd been meaning to replace them. There was only one door in the hall. When opened, it revealed the attic- or Dipper's bedroom. Lydia was taken aback at the tall ceilings and beautiful exposed beams. The large plank boards that made up the walls were painted white; however, the beams that lined the ceiling were original wood that matched the color of the floor. Directly in front of the door on the other side of the room, high in the wall was a large triangle sized window that let in a beautiful ray of light. Under the window was Dipper's twin sized bed, covered in a blue and white stripped comforter. At the foot of the bed was an old chest that reminded Lydia of a treasure chest. On one side of the bed sat a wooden side table housing a lamp and a book. A big oak dresser was pressed against the wall on the right next to what appeared to be a closet. The room also housed a compact TV stand and a small flat screen television. The attic had a special, sun room minus all the windows, area. Peeking in, Lydia could see what she recognized from Dipper's videos as the area where he shot commentary and cases. A fluffy blue and green plaid couch was where he sat. Behind the couch was his infamous flag draped from ceiling to floor. The military green flag only featured a large white question mark on it. Flanking either side of the couch were bookshelves cluttered with manila folders, notebooks, and tapes. His camera was set up on a tripod in the middle of the room, facing the couch.

"This place is amazing," Lydia announced as she walked back into the bedroom area. She hopped up on the bed and crossed her legs. "I love it."

"You haven't even seen the best part yet," Dipper followed her up on the bed. "The mysteries of the Shack await you, my dear."

Lydia snorted and rolled her eyes, "Of course."

The two looked at one another for a quick second before Lydia uncurled her legs and nearly leapt over to Dipper. She straddled him and wrapped her arms around his torso. Their lips met ferociously. What time they had missed together over the past month they were making up for. With his tongue in her mouth and her barely dressed body pressed against him, it was impossible for Dipper to hold back his arousal. He'd missed the taste of her lips, the softness of her skin. Eagerly, he broke their kiss. Lydia's eyebrows furrowed together, almost angrily, but they were replaced with a euphoric expression as his lips trailed down to her neck. She couldn't help but moan as his lips were on her neck. Dipper responded with a low growl of passion, flipping Lydia off his lap and onto her back. She looked up at him with big, eager eyes. He didn't know where to go next, just that he wanted his lips on her skin. With his erection pressing against her stomach, he helped her remove her shirt. Without his aid, she swiftly took off her bra and tossed it across the room. Dipper felt like whimpering as he looked down for the first time at her breasts. His erection grew more, painfully so, as he dipped down and caressed her nipples with his tongue. She wiggled beneath him with passion, her body on fire. Sweet moans escaped her lips with every flick over her hard nipples.

The melody of the doorbell shot through the house, startling the pair.

"The pizza," Dipper groaned angrily. The bell rang again and he hopped out of bed and stormed out of the room.

Breathlessly, Lydia sat up. Her cheeks were flush and her body was on fire. She waited a second or two, allowing herself to calm down, before she climbed out of bed and went in search of her shirt. She slid the black shirt on, not bothering with her bra. She fixed her hair, which had slid into a dangling knot, then walked out of the room and down the stairs. Dipper closed the front door, balancing two boxes with one hand and a two liter in the other. Lydia couldn't help but blush as she walked over and grabbed the pizza boxes.

"Thanks," He said.

"I just didn't want you to drop it. I'm hungry, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Lydia set the boxes down on the coffee table. One held a large pepperoni and mushroom pizza, the other delicious looking cheesy bread. Dipper disappeared into the kitchen, reappearing a few seconds later with two cups. Lydia was already smashing the pizza, half a slice dangling out of her mouth. Dipper poured them both a cup of soda, grabbed a slice, and sat down next to Lydia on the couch.

"I don't know if it's because I'm starving, but this is the best pizza I've ever had."

"You're probably just hungry."

"I dunno. This is really good."

"But **the** best pizza? I mean… you must have encountered pretty mediocre pizza in your life if this is the best."

Lydia rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say."

"So, uh… earlier I went out into the woods. After a few hours I finally found the manotaur cave-"

"I told you I want to forget about it," Lydia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger.

"I know, but hear me out. They said there aren't any tribes farther than Gravity Falls. They aren't costal. They also said they wouldn't watch anyone from afar because it isn't manly."

"Okay? So it wasn't a manotaur who watched me touch myself then caused me to fall down the mountain? Great news."

"Seriously, Lydia. It worries me that there's something out there."

"No, it intrigues you."

"That too," Dipper admitted. "I gave them the description and the story. We agreed that it sounds like a manotaur, but they think it's someone who was turned away from the tribe for… well… not being manly enough. They're stocky, bulky, manly creatures. What you described has all the right features but sickly and weak."

"Dipper," Lydia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't care anymore."

"I do," He stated firmly. "It is important to me to understand what happened. The tribe agreed to get into contact with the other brotherhoods in Oregon and Washington to see if they banished anyone or if they've had any runaways."

"That's just what I want; every single man thingy in the state knowing about me masturbating in the woods."

"I mean… it's pretty hot."

"Whatever," Lydia blushed. She couldn't help but smile a little. "It's mortifying."

"To each his own," Dipper shrugged.

"Just… do what you want. I don't want to hear about it anymore though."

They finished eating, chatting idly. When they were finished and tidied up, Lydia was eager to see the Mystery Shack. She had seen pictures and read stories online, but the strange excitement of seeing the trinkets and displays bubbled inside her. It was more personal knowing it was the way Dipper made his livelihood. His blog brought in a nice chunk of change, but as Dipper's great uncle Stan would say, the tourist trap is where it's at.

Dipper led her through a hall door and into a dark room. For the second before the lights flickered on, Lydia could see the moonlight dance over glass jars and t-shirts. With a brief electric buzz the room was illuminated. The boxy room featured a wide array of intriguing objects. The wood planked walls were white, but the beams remained with a natural dark stain, just like in Dipper's room. In a corner was a long L- shaped counter featuring a cash register and a phone docking station. A giant maroon rug featuring a yellow triangle pyramid design with an eyeball in the middle covered most of the floor. A bowl of Mystery Shack bumper stickers sat next to the register. The rest of the counter featured a display of jarred eyeballs. Next to the counter was a wall rack of t-shirts. There were two designs; one was a giant question mark on yellow and green shirts, the next featured the Shack's logo on a deep green shirt that matched the hue of the question mark shirt. Close by was also a turning floor display for postcards. There were a surprising number of different designs- the question mark (which Dipper said was sorta 'their thing'), the Shack's logo, some old medical oddity photographs, x-rays, and some skull variations. Novelty license plates reading 'MSTRY SHK' were scattered around the walls.

There were shelves everywhere full of weird and wonderful things. Lydia wasn't sure if she'd have enough time to cover every nook and cranny in the gift shop. Animal skulls and mounted antlers were a common theme, but not so common were jars of brains and organs. There were animal paws in jars, and little bottled alien like creatures and sea creatures. A fur covered trout plaque hung proudly next to a hanging display of replica UFOs. There was an entire shelf full of preserved mice fetuses. One shelf starred two brains, one jar had a cowboy hat resting atop of it, the other a blonde wig sporting a bright pink bow. Shrunken heads dangled next to the window. A bookshelf along the wall stored folded towels and Mystery Shack snow globes. An old wine barrel was full of question mark key chains in every color imaginable. A display case close to the counter was full of weird goodies: kidney stones, gallbladders, a jar full of teeth, and old pharmacy bottles. Vintage dolls and doll parts were placed around the shop, some for sale, some there for effect. A treasure chest was placed near the entrance to the museum with a gold plated vintage diving hat.

"Holy shit," Lydia gasped, as she walked around the room. "This stuff is insane. Is it real?"

"For the most part," Dipper shrugged. "A lot of hipster, weird-collector people come just for the gift shop. I like to make sure everything is authentic so I keep them happy. A lot of them frequent the blog, too."

"I want everything," Lydia joked, marveling at a scarily realistic unicorn head mounted on a red velvet plaque.

"You know you can have whatever you want?"

"I couldn't," Lydia protested.

"Come on!" Dipper grinned. "You know you want to have Mystery Shack merch for every imaginable situation. Shirt? Check. Bumper sticker? Got it! Key chain? Totally. Snow globe? Totally. Anything else?"

Dipper had been walking around grabbing Mystery Shack merchandise as he spoke. He had collected a pile of stuff in his arms. He looked at Lydia with a grin.

"Maybe a towel?" She laughed.

"How could I forget?!" Dipper exclaimed as he grabbed one off the shelf. "The towel will cost you, though."

"I can only spare maybe… three kisses and a prolonged hug."

"I think this is worth at least five kisses."

"I'll meet you in the middle. Four pecks."

"Only pecks?! I thought I was signing up for a little more than that."

Lydia walked over to where Dipper was standing and slinked her hands around his neck, one finding its way up into his messy brown hair as she kissed him deeply and passionately. She could feel Dipper loosen in her grip, his body turning to jelly as she explored the inside of his mouth with her tongue. After a few long seconds that felt like an eternity, Lydia pulled away and looked at Dipper with a smug expression.

"Will that due?"

"That was… more than enough,"

"Did it earn me admission into the great Mystery Shack Museum?"

Dipper set the pile of merchandise on the counter and nodded, pointing at the red velvet curtains blocking the entrance into the museum. A big yellow arrow was mounted to the wall, pointing into the museum, "Follow me… if you dare."

Lydia laughed and trailed behind Dipper. The corridor behind the curtains was lined with string lighting that gave it just enough of a creepy ambience. The corridor emptied into a square room with black walls and big painted white question marks filling nearly every blank space. The string lighting continued into the room, but the room was lit with black lights- enhancing the white question marks. There were arch entrances spaced out through the room leading to smaller display areas.

The first one they went into was better lit, displaying a large stuffed creature labeled a 'SASCROTCH'. It towered over 8 feet tall and rest on a patch of grass. It seemed to be a big foot, only it was wearing a pair of white briefs. Dipper explained it was one of Stan's favorite attractions, and even though Dipper didn't like it, he kept it up. The room also featured a stand with a jackalope on it, a mounted Griffin's head, a Dodo bird, and a horned turtle skeleton. There were more animal hybrids- a beavercorn and roosterdeer. The middle of the room, under a spotlight, held a stunning Fiji Mermaid.

The next room had a green glow to it. There were UFOs dangling from the ceiling at varying heights. Prints of actual UFOs lined the walls. There was a medical gurney in the center of the room, roped off with lush red rope. On the table lie a disturbing replica (Lydia was convinced it was real) of an alien body. The room also featured a test tube type structure full of liquid, encasing another replica body. It was unsettling.

There was a 'Mystery Shack Mystery Spot' room. It was the biggest of any of the rooms visited. It looked like the inside of a cabin, though everything was tilted and at an angle. A plaque on the wall read that the room was the spot of a vortex and paranormal phenomenon. Dipper explained it was a bunch of optical illusions, as he seemingly rolled a ball uphill on a wooden plank.

A wax museum room matched the Mystery Spot room. It was eerie. Historical figures, bot relevant to Gravity Falls and American history, and celebrities seemed to hover around the room. They were spaced out perfectly, seemingly naturally placed as if they were all at a party.

They briefly peaked into a room of mirrors before moving on to the next room. An 'invisible man display' featured a floating hat and set of glasses. There was also a book bound in human skin encased in a glass dome. A large glass cabinet lined one wall, featuring a wide array of vintage and antique medical equipment. The rest of the stops in the rooms were brief. They looked at the voodoo room, a room full of two headed animal skulls and preserved or taxidermied parts. There were three more rooms that were empty, hidden behind more velvet curtains.

"So, you do this for a living, huh?" Lydia asked as they walked back into the gift shop.

"Yup. Sometimes I have guest attractions, like sword swallowers and stuff like that. The past couple months have been really weird, ya know? It's not the same running this place… without Stan. He was so good at the showmanship. He stuffed every one of those rooms with attractions- most of them hoaxes. It didn't matter though. He sold the idea of mystery. I'm just not good at it, at least not as good as him. I'm not losing business or anything- it just isn't the same."

"I'm sorry," Lydia offered, approaching Dipper and rubbing his back.

"I've tried really hard to throw everything I have back into this place. I've tried to make it reputable and real, take away a majority of the glued together taxidermy. It just doesn't feel the same. I feel like I'm not doing justice to the Shack."

"I'm sure Stan would be very proud of you, Dipper. I'm proud of you. This place is full of love, it's obvious. I can see the care and detail everywhere."

"I wish you could've seen it when Stan was alive," Dipper said tearfully, his voice dripping with sadness.

"Hey," Lydia turned to face him. Dipper tried not to let Lydia see him crying, but his efforts were useless. She grabbed his face and kissed him softly.

"I'm sorry," Dipper apologized, resting his forehead on hers.

"Don't be."

"I'm just under so much pressure to make Stan proud- to make this city proud. His shoes are hard to fill."

"Don't try to be Stan. You will fail. You're not him. You're Dipper Pines. You grew up watching that man run this place. So put his shoes on a shelf and look at them every day, but you need to lace up your own damn shoes and do this your way. I may not have seen this place when Stan was running it, but I've seen it when you're running it… and it's amazing. You've turned a tourist trap into a great business and museum. Don't be ashamed of that. It may not be the same Shack it was, but it's still the Shack."

"But-"

"No buts," Lydia said softly, her heart thumping out of her chest. "Dipper… I wish you knew how great you are. I… I love you."

Dipper didn't say anything back right away, causing Lydia's stomach to knot. He was just trying his best not to cry anymore. Finally he looked up at her, glistening eyes and said the words back, like an echo.

"I love you, too, Lydia. So damn much."

The corners of her mouth curved into a small smile for a second, and then their lips crashed together. With vulnerability saturating the air they searched for one another through their kisses. They stood there for a minute, their bodies pressed together so tightly it was a surprise they didn't morph into one person. Dipper's mouth broke away from Lydia's and left a shuttering trail down her neck. He tugged her shirt, exposing her collarbone. As his teeth grazed her skin she tilted her head back and let out a soft moan. Grabbing his hand, she led him through the maze of the house. Up the stairs with the lights off and the room illuminated with by the moonlight, Lydia stripped slowly under Dipper's heated gaze.

Her naked body in front of him sent waves through him. She let her hair down, and it tickled her back. Dipper's eyes made Lydia blush, but he didn't let up as she crossed the room and climbed into the bed. In a trance, Dipper shed his clothes and followed. Seeing his bare chest and throbbing member made Lydia swallow hard. She'd dreamed of the moment she saw him naked, hovering over her, and it was finally here.

Dipper's eyes darted over her body before he attached his lips to one of her breasts, slowly brushing his tongue over her hard nipple. He reached a hand down to her sex. It was warm and wet, and when his finger grazed her clit, she let out a moan so delicate Dipper thought it would crack in the air. He positioned his hand so that a finger could slip into her tightness as another continued to massage her clit. Lydia couldn't help the moans as they danced out of her mouth. Dipper stopped abruptly, causing Lydia to huff and look down at him. He met her gaze with a mischievous grin, then left a red hot trail of kisses down her stomach. He pushed her legs up over his shoulders and hovered his mouth over her. He used his fingers to spread her apart, and then he dipped down. Lydia's eyes went wide and she let out a loud moan, only encouraging Dipper. This was new for her; her entire body was on fire with each lick and suck. She wasn't sure her pleasure could grow any more… until he slipped a finger inside her as his mouth wrote poetry on her clit. A few strokes to her g-spot was all it took to make Lydia shutter with an orgasm that almost lifted her off the bed. She tightened around his finger and her sweetness dripped around him, but he didn't stop. It wasn't until Lydia was squirming, her moans a constant song, that he stopped. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand before slinking back up over her.

She looked at him with wide eyes with a look so hot it made his rock hard cock twitch. She went to grab it, but he lightly pushed her away.

"Later," He instructed as he used his legs to open hers. He reached down and used her sticky wetness to coat his member. "I want you now."

"But-"

"Later," He growled, then thrust into her.

A month's worth of tension and passion, daydreams and phone calls, all led to this. They both let out moans. After a few strokes, Lydia hiked her legs up over his shoulders, straight in the air. The new angle made her even tighter, which Dipper didn't think was possible. He groaned and kissed her feet softly. Lydia reached for the headboard, looking for something to grab onto as Dipper pumped wildly into her. She needed more. She wiggled her body to a position where she could thrust up into him.

"Fuck," Dipper groaned, picking up more speed.

The room echoed with the sound of their bodies and moans of passion. Dipper felt Lydia's body stiffen, her muscles tighten around his cock. Her body arched into her orgasm. A primal wave struck Dipper and with a few more hard thrusts he felt his orgasm nearing the top. He knew he couldn't cum inside her because he wasn't wearing a condom, but it felt too good to pull out. He was so close- and seeing Lydia's body move under him… against his desire, Dipper pulled out and reached down to his cock. Her cum coated his cock, lubricating it as he stroked himself for only a brief second, then he exploded on her stomach, his thick cum in sporadic pools on her pale skin.

He stared down at her for a long beat before rolling carefully, as to not dirty the sheets more than they already were, to lie next to her. Under the glow of the moonlight they lie, catching their breath.


End file.
